HP New Marauders
by Cindra
Summary: Part four of my HP saga. Four years have come to pass Harry and Hermione are facing one of the toughest challenges of their lives raising their children and are finding out that dream visions are only a glimpse of what could be not what will be...
1. Bad day at school

HP Life after Hogwarts

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 1

Bad day at school

--

Notes: This is Part four of my saga you need to read HP Boy who lives Summer and then 7th year and Life after Hogwarts to understand what's happening in this one…

Now we jump four years into the future...hence the title New Marauders...

Harry and Hermione are facing one of the toughest challenges being parents to three very special little girls. On another note Harry and Hermione have found that dream visions are a glimpse of what could be not what will be...in short the future is not set in stone...

: Telepathic thought

Characters Silent thoughts or words in italic

( )Twin link

--

Godric's Hollow- June 2010

Hermione pulled up in front of the Godric Gryffindor Nursery/ Primary School for Gifted Children and rested her weary head against the steering wheel of her hybrid Landrover. It was nearly the middle of June and a warm summer day.

Harry was off on a mission with Draco, Logan, Mac, and Chase. They'd been sent by James to bring Igor Karkaroff and his band of followers back to the UK for trial.

Normally she didn't mind him going off on the occasional two day mission, but then she hadn't been carrying two beyond energetic little boys for eight months either, while trying to ride herd over her three darling four-year-old baby girls. The boys had been a complete surprise reminding the two of them the future is never set in stone, there are always changes along the road, and they were both eagerly expecting the arrival of their little boys.

"Please let this latest altercation be a small one." She whimpered not knowing if she could take hearing about Dani's latest bout of temper causing anything other than a minor skirmish. She had hoped that this final week of school would have ended on a quieter note.

Lotus having seen Hermione drive up in front of the school decided to go check on her. Since the window was rolled down she placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "I told Uncle Max not to disturb you today."

Hermione glanced up at Lotus and sighed wearily. "Dani is my daughter. I will be the one to hear her latest incident firsthand. I was merely resting my head against the steering wheel for a moment before venturing inside to…" She gasped, closing her eyes as a wave of nausea threatened to overcome her.

Lotus became immediately alarmed and opened the door, so she could unbuckle Hermione's seat belt. "You are eight months along with twins and need to learn to delegate to others." She chided her friend.

"I will not delegate my motherly duties to anyone..." Hermione blew her bangs out of her eyes willing her lunch to not make an unscheduled appearance. It was a constant argument that she was having with her mother, who insisted on finding her a proper nanny to aid her in looking over the children. She would be damned if she would ever give in and hire one. "The boys feel my turmoil towards their big sister and are voicing their opinions about it by trying to make me nauseous. In an attempt to keep me from focusing on the situation at hand that being Dani and what she's done this time."

She popped a soothing mint into her mouth that instantly soothed her stomach. "I however am always ready for such occasions and will deal with my daughter whether they like it or not." She tossed her keys into her purse then muttered a few choice words under her breath when she saw that other members of the family had decided to come out and check on her as well.

Sirius reached into the Rover and scooped her up into his arms. "Let's get you inside where it's nice and cool." He crooned down at her as if she were two and not twenty-three years old.

"You, baby sister, should be at home resting." Percy frowned down at her.

"Hermione dear, there was really no need for you to drive here when we've got the situation well at hand." Molly fussed over her.

"Did you get your nap in or won't they let you sleep?" Lily conjured a cool cloth which she placed on Hermione's brow.

Hermione reined in the urge to scream BACK OFF at the top of her lungs. "Don't all of you have classes to teach?" She asked softly.

"The kids are all outside for afternoon recess. Jenn, Harley, Dromi, and Pene are outside keeping watch over them." Sirius got her settled on the couch in Max's office.

Max on the other hand was nowhere to be found.

"Here, dear, sip this ice cool lemonade." Molly handed her the cool refreshing drink that she had conjured for her.

"No that's really not necessary I'm not…"

"It's good for you on a hot day like this one. Now be a good girl and drink up."

Hermione took a sip of the tart refreshment and forced herself to smile sweetly at her aunt. "It's lovely, Aunt Molly...um where exactly is Uncle Max?"

Lotus was staring out the picture window that provided Max's office with a clear view of the playground. Max and Kane were once again trying to keep Dani from jinxing some boys to the moon and back. "You would think after what happened to Wallace that those boys would have learned by now." Lotus shook her head in disbelief.

"Not again…" Sirius stalked over to the window where he had a clear view of the boy's appearances and just like Wallace Crumbly they were sporting vibrant rainbow colored hair with spots to match all over their skin.

There was a torn picture at young Hardcastle's feet.

Mia was crying and pointing down at her picture.

Ally, Bell, Cindy, Daria, Tabby, Fi, and Tori were glaring daggers at the three boys.

Dani, who looked scraped up, was barely being held back by her Aunt Dromi.

DJ, MJ, Liam, Nate, Orry, Matt, Rohan, Ty, Ryan, and Ian were all ready to take down the three older boys for daring to mess with their cousins or in MJ's case nieces.

"It would serve them right, if we just let the kids have a go at their sorry hides." He grumbled under his breath.

"Jealousy is a powerful force to try to counter." Percy's eyes narrowed as Max and Kane led the three boys back into the school.

Dromi was carrying, a beyond furious, Dani in her arms.

Hermione closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for patience. "Why didn't Uncle Max transfer that horrid Crumbly boy to another school when I asked him to months ago? That boy is borderline Slytherin as are his horrid little minions. He does nothing, but goad Danielle until she's in such a temper that she retaliates and then goes off whining to any of you that it was all my baby girl's fault!"

She narrowed her eyes at the others. "If that is why I was called here I shall be very put out."

"Now Hermione, boys will be boys, but that's no excuse for Danielle to retaliate by jinxing him until he had to be taken to St. Mungo's." Molly frowned.

"DANI TRANSFIGURED A BOY?!" Hermione exclaimed in horror burying her face in her hands.

"No sweetie." Lily shot Molly a glare for upsetting Hermione. "She gave him a colorful rash that needed to be treated at St. Mungo's." Lily gently pushed her back down against the pillows. "Wallace called her a name that she didn't like very much and reacted accordingly."

--

"Why am I getting punished when those three plug-uglies started it?" Dani's snarl of protest echoed throughout the school's corridors.

"Instead of using magic on those boys…" Max was barely keeping his temper in check. "You should have sought one of us out."

"Your nothin, but a little freak and so are the rest of you lot!" Adrian Fouler snarled back.

"Yeah, that perfect picture your brat sister drew proves it." Damon Hardcastle grumbled.

"Her and her sisters have ta be freaks, cuz of being in all those special classes." Edgar Crane sounded off.

"Did it ever once occur to you tiny minded little fools that maybe, just maybe, it's because we're far more intellectually superior and magically gifted than the likes of you and your yob squad?" Dani stuck her pert little nose haughtily up in the air as if even looking at them was beneath her station.

The boys glared daggers at her.

"I would much rather be freakishly superior to ordinary any day. No not ordinary…" She wrinkled her nose as she looked regally down on them. "Mediocre. Yes that's what the three of you are and that so includes Wallace."

The three of them had no snide comeback for that zinger and remained silently glaring murderously up at her.

"Well done, little doll." Kane winked at her. "Next time try using words instead of jinxing them till they resemble one of your aunt's color pallets."

"Yes, Danielle, words when used in certain situations work just as well as the strongest magic." Max lectured her as they walked down the corridor that led to his and the Healers offices.

"They nabbed Mia's painting of Spirit and then IT over there tore it into pieces before I could catch them. Which something that would not have happened, had I simply ported First-Grams style, instead of chasing after them on foot." Dani glowered down at the three nine-year-old boys. "It won't happen again nor will I merely turn your hair and skin vibrant colors."

"Oh, like we're scared of a four-year-old…" Adrian lost his ability to speak.

"Danielle cut it out." Max growled.

"Please do continue…this time I'll turn one of you into a Flobberworm or worse." Dani's eyes had narrowed to slits.

"Yeah, right like you could actually…" Damon was now a slimy vibrantly colored Flobberworm.

"Danielle!" Dromi pulled on her pigtail. "Behave!"

She continued to ignore her elders, "You next Edgar or are you going to be smart and stay silent?" Her emerald green eyes blazed with temper and barely leashed power.

"Professor Rai! Professor Pendragon! Headmaster Dumbledore! She's breaking the rules!" Edgar whined.

"I am not using a wand dumb-ass nor have I spoken a single word aloud. No proof, no crime." Dani stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes at him.

"That is enough, young lady!" Max tugged none too gently on her pigtail.

"Yes Uncle Max…"

"You three have bullied the younger students for the last time." He focused his full attention on the boys. "I'm sending an Owl to your parents that you are to be transferred to another school where you will be taught to rein in those darker tendencies of yours. The four of you have all been tested and this school is beyond at least three of your levels of understanding. Magically the four of you minus one exception are all borderline squibs. My main concern is the well-being of my students and yours if you were to remain here are greatly at risk…"

"What about her!" Edgar whined.

"Danielle is to be punished accordingly. The issue here boys is a simple one. She is never into any trouble unless provoked by one of you. The result of that is her ending up on restriction while you find yourselves once again visiting the Healers office. This is the fifth and final altercation. I've no choice but to transfer you to another school." Max had more than made up his mind. "Now off to the Healers Office with the three of you."

"What about Damon!" Edgar pointed down at his slimy friend.

"Oh honestly, could any of you be any more pathetic." Dani focused on Damon and he was a boy once more.

"That tears it. I am so not gonna ever mess with her or any of them again!" Damon made a beeline for the Healers Office.

"I'm telling my…" Edgar found himself sporting donkey ears, a tail to match, and was now braying like a mule.

Adrian grabbed him by the arm and dragged him with him into the Healers office.

"Danielle Stephanie Anastasia you have more than proven your point!" Hermione stood, with her hands planted on her hips, just outside Max's office.

"Mummy?! I didn't know that you were here?" Dani's superior attitude deflated like a balloon.

"I can see that. You, young lady, as of this very second are on magical restriction." Hermione clipped her daughter's wings.

"But Mummy!"

"But Dani!" Hermione narrowed her eyes at her. "No magic unless your class requires you to do so and that is my final say on the matter."

"But Mummy they started it and that ruffian Wallace got all potty mouth with me and called me a freak of nature! Just because I'm smarter, magically superior, and just as good at boy stuff as they are!" Dani had mastered her father's trademark pout and used it against her mother.

"Those happen to be wretched little brats who should be ignored. You fall into their trap every time and only end up in trouble again…" Hermione took in her daughter's scraped up appearance and instantly saw red. "What happened? Did those little demons do this to you!?"

"I landed face first on the pavement, because Adrian and Edgar pushed me down while Damon tore up Mia's picture in front of me." She saw that her mother was now focused on her scrapes and used that to her advantage. "Mia got pushed down too, but she landed in the grass…" She sniffled as tears started pooling in her eyes.

"Uncle Max! They physically bullied my babies! Name-calling is one thing, but this is above and beyond that!" Hermione stalked across the corridor pausing in front of the doors leading into Healers office. "No one hurts my babies!"

"Hermione calm down! I've already taken care of it." Max chased after her.

"You should have transferred them when I asked you to!" Hermione opened the door to the office and disappeared inside.

"I am!" Max followed her.

--

"Dani are you crying because of those scrapes or was that just to escape your mother's wrath?" Dromi set her down on her feet.

Dani sniffled a little, but otherwise said nothing.

"Dani look at me." Kane knelt down in front of her and tilted her chin up with the pad of his thumb. "Manipulating your mother is not the honorable way, but if your tears are flowing because you are hurt then…"

"Both…alright…I hurt because of my scrapes and I didn't need Mum snarling at me anymore." Dani came clean with her Uncle. "I hate that I can't lie about anything…" She grumbled.

"Up you go little one. We need to get your scrapes tended to." Kane tried to scoop her up into his arms, but she scooted away from him.

"I don't wish for Mummy to be anymore upset than she already is, so I shall walk to Grams office." Dani told her Aunt and Uncle in a tone older than her years.

"Sorry my mistake," Kane smirked.

"Aunt Dromi could you please go check on Amelia for me then tell Allysia that I'm fine." Dani asked her Aunt.

The school bell rang signaling that recess was over.

"I'll see what I can do." Dromi bent down and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Let's go, Uncle Kane, before we make another scene." Dani walked gingerly towards her Grams office.

"Dani," Ally and Mia raced passed their aunt.

"Aunt Jenn says we can sit with you, because Mia has a few scrapes that need seen to as well." Ally carefully took her sisters hand in her own. **(****Next time we go tell our Aunts.****)**

"I'm fine compared to you." Mia took her other hand. **(****Are you in an awful lot of trouble?****)**

**(****I don't wanna talk about it…Mummy and Uncle Max put me on magical restriction.****)** Dani pouted.

"Let's go ladies." Kane ushered the three of them into Max's office. "We'll get you two looked over in here."

"Up ya go champ." Sirius scooped Dani up into his arms.

"Come to Nana, Mia." Molly crooned as she scooped Mia up in her arms.

"Nana I'm fine. Dani got the worst of it." Mia pointed out when Molly sat her down on the couch. **(****I'm sorry Dani…****)**

"Those creatures are hideous little beasts." Ally growled. **(****You really do need to learn to rein in your temper.****)** She chided. "Mia worked all week on that painting for Uncle Wills and that ghastly brat tore it to shreds."

"Did they hurt you?" Lotus knelt down in front of her.

"No. They just pushed down Mia, nabbed the painting, and ran off. Dani gave chase then Edgar and that Adrian double teamed her before she could get it back from Damon." Ally fumed. "Then Dani jinxed their sorry hides, causing the three of them to run screaming like a bunch of girls for Aunt Jenna and the others."

**(****I know…but you have to admit that it was an excellent jinx that those brats well deserved.****)** Dani sent back to her sisters. **(****None of this was your fault Mia, so don't worry about it.****)**

"You'll not have to deal with them anymore." Dromi walked into the office followed by Hermione and Max.

"The four of them are being sent to another school with students more their level." Max wasn't at all pleased to see the crowd that had gathered in his office. "Percy, Lotus, and Molly all have classes to return to. Sirius, Kane, and Dromi are more than welcome to stay."

Molly, Percy, and Lotus all left the office.

--

"Sirius, would you please go tell James that all is well with Hermione and the girls." Max took Dani out of his arms.

"Yes please. Harry is due to check in and I do not wish him to be distracted by what is occurring here at home." Hermione picked up Mia to cuddle before sitting down on the couch.

"Daddy already knows." Dani sighed miserably. "He's with Gramps and Great-gramps at headquarters."

"Dani if that were indeed true then Daddy would be calling Mummy…" Ally chided her sister just as their mother's mobile rang in her purse. "I hate it when she does that…"

"Told ya so."

"Girls no fighting," Hermione growled as she dug the wafer thin phone out of her purse. Sure enough it was her lion. "Hi, Lion. How was your mission? We missed you terribly." She greeted him.

"My mission went like clockwork. Karkaroff didn't fair so well though. After we got back I marked him and he went like Voldemort, as did some of his followers, but most of the lot survived my mark and are locked up in Azkaban. Now what may I ask are you doing in Uncle Max's office and why are all three of our girls there with you?" Harry's voice growled from the microspeaker on the phone.

"The Crumbly boy was at it again…"

"I'll be right there." Harry ended the call.

"Daddy sounds awfully grouchy today." Mia held her mothers hand while Dromi tended to her scraped up knees.

"Two days away from my girls makes me that way." Harry appeared behind Max. His eyes narrowed to slits when he saw that two of his babies were all scraped up. "Explain Uncle Max," Harry took Dani out of his arms. "Did those boys do this to my girls?!"

"Dani and that ghastly boy Crumbly had an altercation at morning recess." Hermione growled. "They sent him to St. Mungo's to have him sorted out."

"That one I was informed of by Dad. This one however is new."

"That rat Damon Hardcastle nabbed Mia's painting then pushed her down on the grass…" Dani started to explain.

"Dani gave chase then Edgar Crane and Adrian Fouler double teamed her and pushed her…" Ally took over for a bit.

"She went sprawling face first onto the cement. The two brats sat on her and taunted her by calling her a freak of nature while Damon tore my painting to shreds." Mia sniffled.

"I wrestled myself free of them and then jinxed them till they looked like Crumbly did this morning. Then they went crying like babies to Aunt Jen, Aunt Dromi, Aunt Harley, and Aunt Pene." Dani finished off the play-by-play.

"Uncle Max?"

"We got the situation under control and escorted the boys and Dani back inside."

"Our daughter then proceeded to use powerful magic without a wand." Hermione was still miffed about that slip of control on her daughter's part.

"Only because they kept at me by calling us freaks again." Dani muttered under her breath.

"It was really an impressive show of magic. She silenced young Fouler, transfigured Hardcastle into a Flobberworm, then righted him again, and finished off by giving Crane donkey ears, a tail, and a voice to match." Kane filled in what Hermione had purposely left out.

"Then I stopped all of her fun." Hermione patted the cushion next to her. "Sit down or set her down so Dromi can tend to her."

Harry gave her an exasperated look, but sat down beside her. "I'm only a mental link away. You should have sent for me."

"You were on a mission."

"We were already back at headquarters."

"I'd just woken up from my nap and saw the message from Uncle Max."

"I just said there had been a small incident, but not to worry Dani was fine." Max sat down behind the safety of his desk.

"That always means that Dani got into trouble again and I had to see for myself." Hermione pouted.

"You should have videoconferenced him from home."

"I hate doing that. It's more personal to speak to someone face-to-face." Hermione bristled at his sharp tone.

"Or used our link to contact me and I would have come and seen him instead!"

"I'm pregnant not an invalid!"

"Owie, Aunt Dromi it hurts." Dani decided to play the injured little girl, so that her parents would stop sniping at each other.

"I know angel, but they need cleaned out and disinfected first." Dromi sympathized with her pain, but then again she surmised that Dani might be playing up her injuries to get her parents to stop fighting.

"Hold Mummy's hand big girl..." Hermione took her hand in hers, but Dani whimpered in pain.

"No Mummy don't do that its all scraped up too." She sniffled.

"Easy there little shadow." Harry kissed her on the top of her head.

"Yes, I'll kiss it and make it all better." Hermione placed a gentle kiss on her scraped up palms and the owies faded away. "See sweetie all better."

"Thanks Mummy." Dani squeezed her hand while Dromi focused on tending to her badly scraped up knees and legs.

"You're very welcome my darling girl." Hermione did the same with Mia's lightly scraped knee.

"All set except for your face." Dromi carefully cleaned off the scrapes on her nose, chin, and cheeks before applying soothing lavender colored ointment over them. "There now all finished." She handed the three of them an orange flavored Everlasting Lolly. "You were such brave girls. Now I have to go help mum." Dromi vanished from the office.

"You young lady are on magic restriction until we decide otherwise." Max steepled his fingers together and pinned her with a look.

"They started it! They always start it just to get me into trouble!" Dani had figured on a week of restriction, not indefinitely, and lost her temper.

"Words can be used just as well as magic or physical altercations, which you saw in the corridor just ten minutes or so ago." Max countered her howl of protest.

"No magic means that I'll be bored out of my mind!" Dani crossed her arms in front of her and pouted looking very much her age.

**(****Dani cool it!****)** Ally growled.

**(****Yes, Dani, please before you get into worse trouble!****)** Mia pleaded.

"Uncle Max is right. You will never learn unless we put our foot down with you. The ruling stands no magic." Hermione locked eyes with her daughter.

"BUT IT'S NOT FAIR! THOSE FOUR WILL JUST BULLY THE KIDS AT THEIR NEW SCHOOL AND I GET PUNISHED TO INFINITY WITH NO MAGIC UNTIL FOREVER!" She howled in protest at the top of her lungs. **(****It's not fair!****)**

"Do you wish for me to add housebound as well?" Harry turned her in his arms, so she had no choice but to look at him.

**(****Dani he means it, so cool it!****)**Mia and Ally snarled.

"No Daddy." Dani wisely ended her tantrum the last thing she wanted was to be grounded as well. **(****Fine, but it's still not fair!****)**

"Those boys will be put under strict probation and will attend sessions with a counselor, so we can nip this tendency to bully others in the bud. They will be among students that are more their level, which should stem any jealous tendencies towards any other students." Max tried to reason with her.

"Believe it or not, Danielle, your jinxing can be seen as bullying as well." Harry locked eyes with his daughter.

"That's ridiculous, Daddy. I only jinx when the targets are asking for it." Dani answered coolly.

"She doesn't bully anyone." Ally bristled at the thought that Dani was being accused of being a bully.

"Dani defends the ones that are being bullied and has never once provoked a situation." Mia was also miffed at their father.

"I stand corrected." Harry cuddled her closer. "Sorry about that."

"That may be so, but you young lady goaded them into verbally sparing with you and then made it a point to show them who they were dealing with. Like it or not that Danielle can be seen as a form of bullying." Max wasn't about to change his tune on the matter.

"All I said was that they started it and then the three of them spewed out that we were all freaks again…"

"You ignore rubbish like that. They aren't worth the trouble they cause you." Hermione lectured her.

"Where are the boys now?" Harry growled softly.

"They happen to be being attended to across from my office in the Healers Office by your sister and mother." Max answered.

"Dani and I will be right back." Harry got to his feet.

"I'll…"

"Stay here with our other two."

"But…"

"Stay put Hermione or I'll have Mum and Gran put you on bed rest until the boys are born." Harry pinned her with an I-mean-what-I-say glare.

"Oh, very well…but I don't see why I…"

"Because Mum and Gran said no stress and that's final." Harry vanished from the office.

--

"It's no use mum we've tried all the usual healing methods and none of them have even begun to fade their colorful appearances." Dromi leafed through a thick leather bound book on rare and unusual jinxes. "We might have to send them off to St. Mungo's where they can sort them out."

"When will the three of you ever learn to not go one-on-one with my granddaughter or are all of you as dense as the London fog?" Lily scowled at the three boys.

"She thinks because her family is famous that she has the edge over all of us. All the Pendragon brats do." Edgar grumbled.

"All of them are freaks there ain't nothin special about any of you lot." Adrian sneered.

Damon chose to remain silent.

"Damon, how do you feel about all of this?" Dromi crossed her arms and arched a brow at the young boy.

"Dani and the others are luckier than most, cuz they've got Merlin and Mab plus all of you. I know that being jealous and cruel ain't worth it no more. It gets nowhere fast and is a cosmic waste of time. I'm tired of being in trouble all the time." Damon glared at Edgar and Adrian. "I like it here and unlike the two of you and Wallace, I'm able to do magic…not as good as Dani or the others, but I can hold my own in class. All that being jealous did was cost me my spot here, so I'm done with that and the three of you!"

"It appears as though at least one of you has learned from his mistakes." Harry walked out of the shadows.

"Special classes mean the kids in them are…" Adrian glared up at Harry pointing at Dani. "…The freaks of our world and it don't matter who their parents are."

"Why you!!" Dani glared murderously at Adrian.

"Danielle not one word or jinx or it's grounded for the summer and no World Cup." Harry warned. "Do we have an understanding?"

Dani nodded.

"Good." He then focused on the boys. "I just imprisoned the last of Karkaroff's followers in Azkaban this morning. Karkaroff and a handful of his stronger followers didn't pass my Dark Wizard test and went the way of Voldemort and Umbridge. So you three are in luck. I'm in a fairly pleasant mood or was until I found out about this." Harry's emerald green eyes glowed with fury and leashed power.

The three boys eyed him warily.

"My daughters are in no way freaks by any means of the word. Defining the word freak, if you look it up in a dictionary, is a person or animal that is marked unusually or deformed. Now as you can see my family doesn't even come close to comparing to that category." Harry narrowed his eyes at them as he conjured a ball of energy with his free hand.

The three of them gulped, it was clear that maybe they had overstepped their bounds this time.

"Their mother is the Next Mab and I am the Next Merlin. You see any fool in their right mind would realize that our girls would be equally gifted if not more so in intelligence as well as magic. Therefore, it's a given that their schooling and such be centered on their gifts. Otherwise, one of them might accidentally do harm to an innocent and none of us want that." He paused to see if the boys were paying attention. "Are you following all this or is it over your heads?"

"Yeah, we get it." Edgar muttered.

"A lot good it's done so far…" Adrian glared up at Dani.

"On the contrary boys the fact that you three are still breathing proves that it's working like a charm." Lily added dryly.

"She was jinxing her Uncles at three months, so just imagine what she can do at four years and nine months of age." Dromi smiled coolly.

"No way…" The boys gaped at him.

"Yes way…I know from firsthand experience." Harry nodded.

The boys were shaking in their shoes.

"Magic and intelligence do not mean that Dani is any less of a normal energetic four-year-old. It just makes things more challenging for her." Lily explained.

"She has had to learn to keep her magic and temper in check and that started at one year of age. What ones magic level is mostly depends on genetics. You either hit the mother lode, have some, a trickle, or none at all. It's what one does with that magic that makes the person who they will eventually grow to be. You're either born with it or not. No amount of jealousy can change that and attitudes like yours only lead towards the darker side of magic and this will lead you straight to Azkaban. Slytherin House went the way of Voldemort, as the dark ways are no longer tolerated in our world. You boys need to stop focusing on your jealousy of others and strive towards a goal that you can be proud of. Believe it or not, magic wasn't always easy for me. Hell I was getting by only by the skin of my teeth during my first years at Hogwarts."

The boy's eyes widened as big as saucers and they continued to gape at him in disbelief. "But…You…defeated Voldemort like five times…"

"Magic takes work to master even when you've a ton of it flowing throughout your veins. Vincent and Gregory got the hang of things, as did Seamus and Neville. Focus on the magic inside you, not on all this envious jealousy, and you might just find come your first year at Hogwarts things won't be as tough as you think." Harry grinned. "Mind you only well minded students can attend there and no roughing up the little ones or anyone else for that matter will be tolerated from here on out." His smile turned deadly serious again.

"Yeah, yeah we promise. No more bad stuff." The three of them nodded.

"What about Wallace?" Damon frowned.

"He and I have already had a chat and we've come to a similar understanding." Harry turned the energy ball into a firefly, so he could set Dani back down on her feet. "Okay young lady funs over. Sort them out please and no funny business."

Dani walked over to the three boys. "You know being his kid isn't all fun and games." She put her hand on Adrian's arm then closed her eyes. "It's like major pressure."

Adrian was now back to normal. "No way…"

"Yes way, because the spotlight is always on us." Dani nodded as she focused on sorting Edgar back to normal.

"You seem fine with all of it ta me." Edgar frowned.

"I have to be because it's who I am. There are times when I envy the kids my age, who get to play, learn their numbers, letters, writing, or even get to take afternoon naps. I guess that's why I get peeved when anyone is jealous of me, my sisters, or cousins because they don't realize how nice it is to just be a normal kid." Dani finished sorting out Damon. "In fact you should embrace that time while you still have it. Being a genius and everything isn't happy-happy-joy-joy by any means of the word. It just means that we have to grow up faster than we'd like to."

"Nicely put angel, but regardless of your gifts you still are a little girl." Harry picked her up and cuddled her in his arms.

"Yes Daddy, but it doesn't feel like it most of the time…" Her breath hitched as if on the verge of tears. "Can we please go now?" Dani buried her face against his shoulder, so the boys couldn't see the genuine tears shining in her eyes.

"Yes angel. We can go now." Harry hadn't realized that she felt this way and was going to see to it that she be able to be a kid as much as possible from now on. "Mum, Dromi…I'll see you both at home."

"Well boys?" Lily narrowed her eyes at them.

"We're sorry Dani."

"Good." Harry vanished.

--

Later that evening at Sanctuary…

Harry swam laps in the pool, but nothing was easing his mind about what Dani had confided to those boys. _Was it atrocious of us to put them in school at the tender age of three? Were they god-awful parents because they rushed them like they had?_ If they'd botched up their first three then it horrified him to think of the twins still nurtured within Hermione.

"You've been brooding out here for two hours, if it ain't working yet it's not gonna." James knelt near the edge of the pool.

"Dani pulled a zinger on me this afternoon in Mum's office and it hurt like she'd stabbed me straight through the heart." Harry swam over to the ladder and climbed out of the pool.

"Lil's filled me in when I got home. You have nothin to worry about. She's a well-rounded happy little girl and so are her sisters. You aren't a bad parent for putting them in school at three. It was a necessity not a choice that you did so. If anything it gave them something to sink their teeth into." James tossed him a towel. "They needed focus and school gives them that. Dani's just sore at you for placing her on magical restriction with no time set about when she'll be free again. That and she knew exactly what strings to pull to make you feel like dogshit."

"Yeah, I know that, but it still stings like a son-of-a-bitch hearing her say all that to those boys. That and she did it in front of Mum and Dromi which was beyond mortifying."

"She meant it to sting." James settled himself in one of the loungers bordering the pool. "Now as for those four boys, I'd say that was an exemplary job well done. Just so you know Max decided to let the Hardcastle boy stay, but the other two are going to one of the other schools." James conjured the two of them two bottles of Guinness and tossed one of them to him.

"Son what you need to learn is that a kid when backed into a corner or under restriction is gonna make you feel as down and miserable as they are." He took a long healthy drink from his bottle before continuing with his lecture. "The trick is to not let it effect you enough, so it's clear as day to them that their ploy was a rounding success."

Harry lay on the other lounger listening to every word that his father was saying. "It really bites when the same trick that worked flawlessly, no semi-flawlessly as a teen, is used against you by your own kid." Harry sighed in misery and took a long drink from the bottle. "Sorry about copping guilt trips on you Dad."

"No apologies necessary son. Besides, you never pulled the card on me that Dani did on you today." James drowned the bitter taste forming in his mouth by finishing off his bottle of Guinness and then went to conjure himself another one. "Nope. I was denied that pleasure by Voldy and his minions." James muttered darkly his eyes mirrored the dark feelings that had once again reared their ugly head to come and bite him in the arse.

"Dad I didn't mean to…"

"No. I know you didn't son, but it's something that will forever creep into my head whether I wish it to or not." He took a drink from his second bottle of Guinness, closed his eyes, and willed the feeling to go away. "I came down here to tell ya that you're Mum and I are gonna be expanding the family again, but this time only by one."

Harry's face broke out in a huge grin. "That's great news, Dad. Are Mum and the baby all right?"

"Yeah, the two of them are both in perfect health, she's do on January first. We just got the full report after you set off to collect Karkaroff and his followers." James was all smiles now.

"Do the twins know yet?"

"MJ and Bell clued us in a week or so ago, so yeah they know all about it." James chuckled.

Harry swallowed wrong. "Clued you in…" He coughed. "What'd they do point at mum and say Mummy has a baby brother or sister in her tummy?" Harry gasped in air.

"MJ walked up to us with a puzzled look on his face. It was beyond funny since Bell was standing a little ways behind him smirking as if she were pleased about something." James took another drink of Guinness.

"So Izzy clued MJ in…"

"Yeah, pretty much, but he didn't believe her. So, he came to ask us if it were in fact true that his mummy was carrying his baby sister inside her belly."

"Oh, I know that feeling." Harry chuckled in amusement. "Dani walked up to us at Christmas stating that St. Nick had botched her request, but two brothers would do instead."

James burst out laughing. "So, that was your little secret last Christmas."

"Mione asked how she could be so sure and Dani shot her an all-knowing-all-seeing look and sighed. And I quote 'Because I just know, Mummy...' Before going off to play with the other kids."

"Lily picked MJ up and kissed him on the nose then whispered that he was going to be a big brother too. He seemed beyond pleased with that and is now pretty much all set about having a baby sister."

"Do you think that Mum and the Aunts planned this or is it just a chance of fate?" Harry's eyes danced playfully. "Aunt Jen and Aunt Gene are both expecting girls sometime near the first of next year."

"Son fate is a tricky creature…"

"Just as clueless as I am, eh, Dad." Harry sensed that Dani was about to make a sudden appearance and disposed of any evidence the two of them had been enjoying a cold one. "Speaking of tricky little imps," Harry now had Dani sitting on his lap. "What did I say about no magic?"

"Sorry Daddy. I was sent to go find you, because Mummy says the twins want Juniors tonight." Dani blinked innocently up at him her enormous emerald green eyes pleaded for him to see things her way about her little slip of magic.

"She wants Juniors Cheesecake?"

Dani nodded her head enthusiastically causing her cuteness factor to increase threefold.

"Maybe we should load up the freezers with treats that way it's less trips for us across the pond." James was conjuring butterflies for Dani's viewing enjoyment.

"You know what dad that sounds like a brilliant idea." Harry tried to focus on his waning displeasure towards the adorable munchkin giggling at the butterflies that her grandfather was conjuring for her. "First things first though…Danielle what are those?" He pointed to her tiny trainer clad feet.

"That's silly daddy those are my feet."

"Right, right, so they are…And these long things what are they again?" Harry tickled her under her knees.

"My legs Daddy, but you already know that." Dani squirmed in his arms when her Daddy tickled her some more.

"Now refresh my memory what are they used for again?" Harry held her up, so he could blow raspberries on her tummy. "Humor me I'm still lagged from my mission."

"Walking, running, and stuff…" She giggled.

"That's right and you use them to get you where you need to go." Harry got to his feet, so he could hang her upside down. "No magic means that you use your feet and legs to come find me."

"Okay Daddy! I get it! Now let me up!" She giggled as he effortlessly kept her upside-down with one hand while he tickled her with his other.

"Promise?" Harry swung her back into his arms, so she was looking at him.

"Yes, daddy, I promise. I just forget sometimes." She stuck her lip out in a full pout.

"What you need is a new bracelet that'll keep you grounded to this physical plain." Harry set her up on his shoulders.

"Son it's not personal gain if it's for the good of an innocent, in this case your kid." James arched a brow at him.

"Grandfather I said that I promised didn't I!" Dani scowled at him.

"This is for your own good." Harry thought of a beautiful golden bracelet that would rein in her magic in his mind. "It will teach you self-control and make you less dependent on using magic all the time."

She howled in outrage when the bracelet appeared on her right wrist. "This is so not fair, Daddy! I promised you that I wouldn't do magic and that should be enough! You should trust me! I'm not a toddler!"

Harry plucked her off his shoulders and once again held her so she was looking him in the eyes. "Yes you are Danielle! Like it or not you are four years and nearly ten months old, which makes you a youngster. A very gifted youngster, but a youngster nonetheless. You whined to those boys how rough it was being gifted. Pined to be normal like all the other youngsters, well, wish granted until further notice now you are!"

"I MEANT IT AS A METAPHOR!" Dani screeched at him.

"Well, I took it as the gospel truth! There will be no magic unless your class work calls for it or unless you are in mortal danger!" Harry carried her kicking and screaming little body under his arm. "Enough with the tantrum or you will be grounded for your summer break and there will be no chance of parole or the World Cup!"

"I HATE YOU! YOU'RE MEAN AND UNFAIR!"

"Life isn't fair! Now go get ready for bed!" Harry set her down on her feet.

"Now munchkin it's not the end of the world. It's just for a little while." James tried to get her to calm down.

"YOU'RE JUST AS MUCH AT FAULT AS DADDY IS! I HATE BOTH OF YOU!" She raced up the stairs in tears.

--

"Harry what in Mab's name happened between you and Dani?" Hermione walked out of the kitchen to see what was up.

"She used magic to go find me, so I conjured a temporary leash in the form of a bracelet that is now affixed to her right wrist." Harry winced when the door to her room slammed. "As you can see and hear it didn't go over very well with our daughter."

"Um why's Dani in a temper again?" MJ peered warily out of the game room.

"She's on magical restriction…" James walked over and picked him up.

"I know that…"

"Well, your brother is enforcing it by putting a magical dampening device on her wrist." James hugged his son and MJ hugged him back in kind.

"She's got another bracelet again? You mean just like last time?" MJ frowned at his older brother.

"Yes, MJ, just like last time, only I fashioned this one myself." Harry nodded.

"Uncle Oberon created the first one, so what makes you so sure that yours will work any better?" MJ countered cheekily.

"It's a talent of mine, baby brother, to wish for something useful when I'm in need of it and that talent hasn't failed me in over six years." Harry tweaked MJ on the nose.

"Uncle Oberon's ancient and his magic wouldn't work on her."

"Yes, well, the second time is sometimes the charm." Harry ignored the heated flush creeping up his face. It was a might embarrassing when ones five-year-old baby brother had no faith in his ability to rein in his own child let alone in his magic.

"I wouldn't bet any galleons on it, but you never know miracles do happen." MJ refocused his attention on his father. "May I go back to finishing off Voldemort now? I was just curious about why Dani was yelling at big brother."

Lily walked out of the Common Room. "One more hour and then it's the tub and bedtime for you."

"But, Mum, I wanted to start playing the Auror game. The one that big brother got me for my birthday."

"You heard your mother one hour Michael James or would you rather take your tub now." James shot down his plea for more time with his trademark don't-press-your-luck look.

"Okay, but I'm spotless compared to Izzy. She's been in the art room painting and drawing and stuff with Ally and Mia." MJ wriggled out of his father's arms landing nimbly on his feet. "She'll need a whole hour in the tub." He raced back into the Game Room.

--

"So you wish to have Juniors cheesecake tonight. Do you have any other requests before I go off and brood because my baby brother had no confidence in my magic or ability to parent my own kid?" Harry asked through teeth gritted in frustration. Two zingers in one day had him wanting to go howl at the full moon.

"Now son that's not true. He just has trouble thinking that anyone can rein in Dani magically or otherwise." James couldn't help but grin.

:Lion? Please change before you go, what your wearing is for my eyes only.: Hermione stood on her tiptoes purring in his ear as well as his mind. "I have confidence in you."

"It's nice to know that someone in this family does." Harry pulled her to him for a long kiss. :As you wish, my lioness. We'll discuss your possessiveness over my body later.: Harry purred back.

"Oliver wanted me to remind you that, by going off to collect Karkaroff with Draco, Logan, and Chase, you've set back the team schedule at least a week." Lily laughed when Harry opened one eye to glare at her in exasperation, but didn't break off his kiss with Hermione. "I'm only the messenger. I saw him and Luce with baby Aiden. They'd just finished his three month check up with Ginny and Mum. I was there for my prenatal check-up with mum."

"He's still on family leave, meaning that I'm still head coach." James reassured his son. "You've already one World Cup under your belts, five League Cups, and the European Cup just last year. Need I add that since all of you have joined the team you have yet to lose a match? I've all the confidence in the world that we're ready for a repeat performance at the World Cup."

"Poor Oliver he just misses being in charge." Hermione sighed. "I know the feeling, I miss being able to play…Oh no the boys are up again."

"Yeah, I know that Mione, but Dad's right. We're ready for the World Cup and what both you and Wood need to focus on is, in your case our twins, and in his case Luce, the girls, and baby Aiden." Harry went from swim trunks to casual traveling wear in less than a blink of an eye. Then he knelt down in front of her and kissed her swollen belly. "You two be nice to your mama or no chocolate treat for you." He placed his head on her belly listening intently to the lives thriving within his wife. "It'll be strawberry or maybe even carrot cake instead." The twins settled back down to sleep. "Works every time."

"Bribery already and they aren't even born yet." James highly amused shook his head at his son.

"I have my ways." Harry grinned at his father. "This is a two-person mission, so we'll be back in a while." Harry kissed his mum on the cheek, and then kissed Hermione.

"Be back soon." James kissed Lily and then they both vanished.

--

Dani wanted someone on her side, so she called DJ on her multitasking computer. "Ring Uncle Draco's and Aunt Ginny's number." She sat down at her desk and growled at the screen.

Draco's face appeared on the screen a moment later. "Hello there munchkin what's with the frown?"

"Daddy gave me this to wear." She held up her wrist showing off her new golden bracelet.

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise as he realized that it was Dani that DJ had been chattering about all evening and not just the older boys that tended to bully them at school. "Magical restriction…that's a mighty high punishment for such a good little girl…what did you do to earn that?"

"I jinxed some older boys today and Uncle Max, Mum, and Daddy went all cosmic about it." Dani muttered darkly.

"DJ mentioned some of it to us just not specifically your name…"

"Look. I've been lectured and punished to the moon and back. Would it be okay if I talked to DJ?" Dani growled impatiently at her Uncle.

"Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but DJ is in the tub…"

"Thanks anyway Uncle Draco. I'll see him at school tomorrow." She ended the call. It was seven-thirty in the evening, which meant everyone else was undergoing bedtime rituals as well.

She decided to try her Uncle Wills. It was early afternoon in the States, so she figured there was a good chance that either he or her Uncle Henry would be home.

Wills was in the middle of packing, but his face lit up in delight as soon as he saw that it was Dani's face on the media screen. "You've just made my day little pixie…Hey, now what's with the tears and frown?"

Dani launched into a play-by-play of her day. "So it's not fair for Daddy to do this to me." She sniffled miserably.

"Yes, it's true that those yobs were asking for it. But like it or not you were also very much in the wrong and pushing this issue with your parents will only end with you on restriction for your summer break." Wills took on what no one had managed to do all-day get her to see reason. "You can't have any fun if you're grounded. You'll be stuck at home while your sisters get to hang with us this summer."

"Okay I'll be good." Dani sighed in defeat it was no use they were right and she was just being stubborn about it.

"Harry and Hermione only want what's best for you and you need more self-discipline controlling both your temper and using your magic. Think of this a challenge."

"I know but…"

"They aren't doing this to be mean. They love you."

"I know Uncle Wills…"

"Look, it's as simple as that…I've got a meeting in forty minutes at the UN, so I have to go. Be good and when we're finally free of the military and home, in a few days, I promise we'll go riding okay." Wills blew her a kiss. "Give everyone there my love…bye angel face and remember be good." Wills ended the call.

"You've got him wrapped around your little finger." Di appeared in her room and sat down on her bed.

"Yeah, I guess." Dani got out her first edition of her parents soon to be released final installment of their Hogwarts saga and settled down on her bed to read it.

"What I don't understand is how you can adore your parent's adventures and then doubt your father's love towards you." Di settled beside her.

"That's not true Aunt Di. I don't doubt my daddy's love for me. I just wish he weren't so unfair sometimes." Dani pouted.

"You break the rules and then there are repercussions. I know that it's not fair, but that's just how life works." Di kissed the top of her head.

"Life is a cosmic letdown then because that rule really stinks."

"Magic is a serious responsibility."

"I know believe me I know. I just lose my temper and my control slips. I still think that those brats today deserved exactly what they got…"

"Think of this as a lesson in self-control magic and temper wise." Di vanished from the bed.

"I get it! Enough with the lecturing already…" She was in the mood to curl up and have a good sulk.

"Bath time Dani." Hermione opened the door to her room.

"Can't I read for a little while first?" Dani pleaded with her mother.

"I'll get your sisters in the tub first, but then it's your turn." Hermione gave into her pitiful look that mirrored her father's trademark pout. "I know that you think it's a cosmic letdown to be under magical restriction, but we're only doing this because we love you." Hermione sat down next to her.

"I know mummy." Dani gave her a hug. "I'll go tell Daddy sorry."

"He's off running an errand with your Grandfather right now, but they should be back in time for him to tuck you in." Hermione kissed her on the nose.

"Is it safe to come in now or are you still miffed at me?" Harry stuck his head in the room. "If not I can always take this tray with chocolate brownie cheesecake on it back to the kitchen."

"I'm sorry Daddy, yes you can come in." Dani managed a small smile.

"I'll let you two handle bedtime then." Hermione left the two of them to bond with each other again.

"So I take it that you don't hate me anymore?" Harry set the tray down at the foot of her bed.

"No. I love you Daddy." She launched herself into his arms. "I'll try to be good from now on."

"I know that it's hard, but…"

"It's for my own good…I love you daddy."

"I love you too brat. So, what do ya say the two of us dig into the cheesecake and then get you ready for bed?" Harry hugged her fiercely.

"Story first then bath?"

"You win, story first." Harry handed her a fork.

"We want some too." Ally and Mia appeared on her bed.

"I figured as much that's why I cut such a big slice of your mums treat." Harry had also added a pitcher of milk and five glasses to the tray.

"In that case let's make this a family bedtime event." Hermione smiled from the doorway.

"The more the merrier."

"We were waiting for Dani to cool off before we came up to check on her." Mia savored a bite of cake.

"Are you better now?" Ally paused in midbite to give her sister a knowing look.

"Yeah, I'm better now." Dani cuddled closer to her father.

"What story do you wish us to read to you?" Hermione smiled at them.

"We want Daddy to surprise us with one of his own." The girls chimed in unison.

"My own story…I think that I can handle that." Harry winked at Hermione and got them all settled around him. Then he began weaving a tale of magic, castles, dragons, majestic beasts, and fairies.

--

Chapter two

Homecoming

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	2. Homecoming

HP Life after Hogwarts

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 2

Homecoming

--

Summer Solstice (June 21, 2010)

Dani was bored out of her mind it seemed as though everyone was getting ready for the arrival of her Uncles. She had missed her Uncles terribly and because it was also her Uncle Wills twenty-eighth birthday as well there would be loads of yummy ice-cream and cake that night for dessert.

She was still under magical restriction which meant that doing anything fun was out of the question. She was more of a tomboy and preferred to take part in more boyish activities. Her sisters and Aunt Izzy were currently in the playroom having imaginary tea parties with their dolls, something that she would rather be dead than take part in.

"I don't understand the point of getting all dressed up in frilly dresses, gloves, and hats or playing with dolls that do nothing. I mean all they do is sit there or repeat everything you say. Why must one then sit down with the dolls in question and have tea?" Dani was sitting under the willow tree in her backyard sulking.

"It's just what girls do." Darien James Pendragon-Black, Draco and Ginny's four-year-old son, plopped down beside her. He was the miniature image of his father only he had his mothers startling moss green eyes. He was also Dani's best friend and constant shadow.

It didn't matter to her in the least that he was a year younger than she was. She'd been entranced by him since she'd first seen him just an hour after he'd been born.

This was a fact that highly amused Draco, because Harry had yet to accept that any bond between the two of them existed. It just wasn't in his mind-set to even think of such a thing when it came to his girls.

"Well it's stupid." Dani blew her bangs, which were always hampering her view, out of her eyes. "Not to mention deadly dull."

"Nah, it's just, um…" DJ eyed her warily, not wanting to trigger her temper, even at four years and one month knew better than to trigger one of her moods.

"Come on DJ spill. It's not like I'm gonna jinx you. You're my best mate. I'm under restriction for jinxing Wallace, Adrian, Damon, and Edgar." Dani fiddled with the delicate white Eyelet lace of the skirt of her party dress.

"It's bad enough that I have to get all frilly and everything." She scowled down at her legs encased in delicate tights and her feet shod in Mary Janes that matched her outfit.

"Well…um…ya see…the thing is…that most girls like ta play dress-up and have imaginary tea parties with their dolls and stuff like that." DJ clawed at his tie. He wasn't too thrilled that his mother had dressed him in some stupid starchy dress shorts, dress shirt, and even a tie. "I mean it's just what girls do."

"That's soooo boring." Dani rolled her eyes in disgust. "I would much rather do magic. Catch the snitch that Daddy gave me. Fly on my broom. Ride Wicked, Star, Spirit or one of the unicorns in the herd near Uncle Hagrid's. Play football. Go swimming, or climb a tree any day."

"The thing is that like it or not, Danielle Stephanie, you're a girl." DJ rolled his eyes at her in exasperation.

"I know that Darien James." Dani's emerald green eyes sparked with temper. "There's nothing that says I have to like everything that all girls are supposed to like."

"No one says that ya do." DJ held up both hands in surrender. "But that's why ya got razzed by Wallace and his friends all those times."

"Yes, well, Wallace will never speak potty mouth to me or even think of razzing me or anyone again." Dani's eyes narrowed. "Neither will Adrian or Edgar."

"Since those three got moved ta a new school. Your dad went all HBP on them mentioning that bullying led to Azkaban. Not ta mention that you more than showed them that you were only giving them a taste of your wrath. I guess you could say that." DJ smirked. "Wallace looked so funny with rainbow colored hair and rashes ta match."

Dani her eyes dancing mischievously grinned wickedly at DJ. "I wanted to do more, but Aunt Jenn spoiled it."

"Well, ya did give his friends a thrashing for picking on Mia and then tearing up her picture of Spirit." DJ wisely chose not to add that she had ended up scraped up and then put on restriction because of it.

He jumped up to his feet, making sure that he was still clean, by brushing off any dirt from his dress shorts. The last thing that he wanted was to face the wrath of his mother by getting his dress clothes all dirty. "Let's take Spirit for a go." He offered her a hand up.

"Are you mental DJ?" Dani let him help her up to her feet. "I'm already up to my neck in boiling oil with Mummy and Daddy. If we took Spirit up with no parental supervision then we'd get into beyond major trouble."

"So," DJ pulled her with him towards the Hippogriff barn.

"So, contrary to what you boys believe, I don't relish getting chewed out by my parents." Dani reluctantly let him lead the way.

"Nah, we think ya love ta go on 'ventures." DJ stopped just shy of the barn.

"Fine you win, we'll take Spirit up for a ride, but when we get caught on your head be it." Dani easily crept under the railing of the paddock.

"Well? Are you coming with or not?" She turned on her heel scuffing the delicate leather on her Mary Jane's and scowled at him.

"Yeah, I'm just trying ta stay clean." DJ crawled under the fence railing which resulted in him snagging his crisp white dress shirt on a rough patch of the weathered railing. "Oh man! Mums gonna flay me." He groaned when the snag caused his shirt to tear.

"If we get caught our parents will do more than just flay us." Dani muttered under her breath. "Now remember you have to bow if either of them are in a tiff."

"Yeah, Yeah, I know what ta do." DJ grumbled.

"Don't blame that on me. This was your big idea." Dani glared impatiently at him, as she planted her hands on her hips, mirroring her mother's trademark stance.

"Yeah, Dani, I got it. My fault… My idea… No need ta jinx me or worse." DJ knew that look all too well and wisely surrendered.

"Good. Now let's go." She turned around finding that Beaky, Goldie, baby Misty, and three and a half-year-old Spirit had all come out to see what the ruckus was all about.

"Um, hi there," She instinctively bowed in front of them.

The Griffs bowed back even though in their eyes these little ones were part of their flock.

Dani giggled when the four Griffs nuzzled the two of them in greeting. "I love you too. So…um…who fancies going for a ride?" She stroked the creamy gold feathers of Spirits neck and then reached over to stroke one-year-old Misty along the silver gray feathers of her neck.

"That's if it's okay with the four of you." Beaky gently bent down and butted his arm, so DJ patted his neck.

Goldie scraped at the ground with her front talons and shot the two little ones a regal look with her all-seeing-all-knowing amber gold eyes.

"Uncle Henry is coming home, as is Uncle Wills. But not for a while yet…" Dani chose her words carefully. Knowing that she'd have to charm Goldie if she had any hope of convincing Beaky to allow his oldest son to go take them for a ride.

Goldie's spirits soared with happiness. She loved Henry to distraction and did a couple laps around the paddock.

Beaky adored Wills as well and joined her in celebration.

Misty happily clawed at the dirt.

"Now what?" DJ hissed in her ear.

"Watch and learn." Dani grinned.

"So what do ya say boy. Do ya wanna go for a ride?" She stroked along his flank and he lay down at her feet. "Well, that settles it then we're going for a ride."

She climbed up onto his back then turned to look at DJ. "Don't just stand there get on." She frowned at DJ. He was looking off towards the manor.

"I thought I heard someone coming." DJ climbed up behind her.

"Don't be such a scare baby. I don't sense anyone, besides everyone is up at the house doing party stuff. Now hold on to me, because we're off." Dani signaled Spirit that they were all set.

Spirit gave his body a good shake, before trotting over to the gate to jimmy the latch with his front talon, so he could leave the paddock, and get up enough speed to take off.

"Who's that down by the tree-fort?" DJ pointed down at the two men dressed in military officers uniforms glaring up at them.

:Oh frazzle! Stop pointing! It's Uncle Wills and Uncle Henry! Act like you don't see them.: Dani couldn't help but see the gestures that their Uncles were giving them, but chose to head off towards the lake instead.

:I told ya that I heard someone coming! But do you ever listen to me?! No!!: DJ had a feeling that both their days of freedom were over.

:We're perfectly safe even without our protective riding gear. This was your idea or are you conveniently forgetting that little factor!?: Dani snarled back at him.

:Yeah, well, let's try not to incur their wrath. By making them even more furious at us by ending up falling in the lake!: DJ was as lingual as Dani. But he only truly showed his intelligence when he was either extremely angry or terrified out of his mind.

"Will you relax already and just enjoy the ride." Dani laughed when Spirit dove towards the lake, so he could catch a trout that had jumped out of the water in his beak.

"Soooo…humor me…about something." DJ tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sure what do ya want to know?" Dani let Spirit continue to fish for his lunch.

"I'm curious. Are ya blocking out your Dad or hasn't the news reached him yet?" He felt his stomach do a flip, as they shot back up into the cornflower blue summer sky.

"Don't really know."

"What do ya mean ya don't know?

"I've been blocking him out since he dragged me out of the game room then forced me to wear this dress and got me ready for the party. Mummy was napping because of the boys, so I didn't put up that much of a stink about it." Dani signaled for Spirit to head towards the forest.

"Can ya tell if he's cheesed off at you or not?"

"Don't be stupid of course I can tell."

"And…"

"You don't wanna know." Dani could feel her father's and her mother's fury, but chose to ignore it.

"Oh cripes…that tears it we're toast." DJ groaned.

"I'm almost five and your just barely four there's not a whole lot that we can do without parental supervision…Oh frazzle, I see your point." Dani sighed in defeat.

"Yeah, well, next time we'll just visit the Griffs instead." DJ heard the cry of two other very familiar Griffs coming from behind them. "Who do ya think are flying Beaky and Goldie?"

"DANIELLE STEPHANIE ANASTASIA AND DARIEN JAMES DRACO YOU ARE TO RETURN HOME AND I MEAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" The roar of their Uncle Wills echoed around them.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah, pretty much…we're busted."

--

"Let's go you two." Henry flew up beside them on Goldie.

"Um…welcome home Uncle Henry." Dani managed a weak smile and started to wave at him.

Wills came up on the other side of them and grabbed hold of the reins. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed?" He snarled at them. "Hands on the reins at all times!"

"Ease off Wills. Spirit would never allow either of them to get hurt." Henry frowned.

"I know that, but if they were to become unseated the two of them are too little to right themselves." Wills reined in his temper.

"I know what I'm doing." Dani bristled. "I've watched Daddy do this loads of times."

"Believe it or not brat, just because you've the intelligence of someone ten times your age does not give you the go-ahead to take off on the Griff's or horses unsupervised." Wills lectured her as they made to land by the Griff Barn.

Draco and Harry were waiting for them.

"I was bored and DJ wanted to see the Griffs." Dani pouted. "I didn't see any harm about taking Spirit for a ride." Her ever expressive big green eyes pooled with tears. "I'm sorry…" Her bottom lip quivered giving her the look of a very sorry little girl.

"Tell that to someone that doesn't know you, Danielle Stephanie Anastasia." Harry plucked her off Spirit cuddling her so fiercely in his arms that Dani gasped for air.

"Daddy you're squishing me."

"Tough, you scared the life out of me."

Draco was doing the same with DJ. "DJ you are never to do that again."

"Ok Daddy…um…can I breathe now?" DJ wriggled in his arms.

"Give me a second, Darien James Draco; you scared me to death." Draco loosened his hold on his son, but kept a firm hold around his middle. "There are far better ways to impress a girl then joyriding on Spirit." He growled hoarsely.

"Um…that's not quite true." Dani decided because she was older by a year that she would take the heat for their adventure. "You see Uncle Draco this was all my idea."

"It was not. You were brooding under the willow and I wanted ta cheer you up." DJ wasn't gonna be a scare baby and let her take the blame.

"I don't care whose idea it was. What the two of you did was dangerously foolish and you know better than to ride the Griffs or the horses without adult supervision." Harry wasn't pleased with either of them.

"Sorry Daddy." Dani sniffled. "I was just mad because you put me in this dress and stuff. I won't do it again..." Big fat tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. "I promise."

"Let's go. It's back into the manor with the both of you. Ally and Mia alerted us to your activities, so both of your mothers are waiting to get a look at you." Draco ruffled his son's hair warmly. "No more wandering off for you."

"Sorry Daddy." DJ pouted.

"That goes double for you." Harry brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"Yes Daddy." Dani looked over at her Uncles. "Sorry if we ruined your party."

"You two are far more important to us than any party." Wills tweaked her on the nose.

"Ya got that right." Henry secured the gate to the Griff paddock.

"Do we have to go back to the house?" Dani didn't relish facing her very pregnant mother's wrath.

"What do you think?" Harry kissed her nose.

"Oh, well, if we must then we must." Dani shrugged her shoulders sighing in defeat, as they made the way up to the manor.

"It's a tough job being a kid." Wills tugged one of her braids.

"I prefer the term height challenged instead of kid, but yes it's a pain most of the time." Dani mused in her best grown-up tone.

"So sorry for your troubles, but you're still a child," Harry chuckled softly.

"Yes, well, I don't have to like it." Dani pouted.

They had reached the steps that led up to the back terrace.

Hermione shot out of the lounge, which was quite a feat as she was nearly nine months with the boys. "Thank Mab you're both all right!" She burst into tears.

"She's fine angel." Harry set Dani in her arms. "See not even a scratch."

"Darien James you are to never do this again!" Ginny cuddled her son close to her as she blinked back tears of relief that he was all right.

"Sorry Momma." DJ sniffled.

"Sorry Mummy." Dani hated to see her mother upset.

"There will be no more wandering off for you and that very well may include attending the World Cup this July." Hermione got tough with her.

"BUT MOTHER YOU CAN'T MEAN THAT! I'M DADDY'S GOOD LUCK CHARM! I HAVE TO GO!" Dani wailed in protest.

"You should have thought of that before going off joyriding on Spirit in your new clothes!" Hermione scowled down at her daughter.

"Aunt Mione, don't be cross at Dani it was my idea. I wanted to cheer her up." DJ chimed in her defense.

"Then the two of you will be able to keep each other company at the palace in Avalon while the rest of the family is enjoying watching the World Cup." Ginny narrowed her eyes at her son.

"Yes Momma."

"Dani?" Harry growled.

"Yes Mother…Now please put me down. I wish to be alone now." Dani wanted to go to her room and sulk.

"Sorry, little miss, but it's the tub for you, then a nap, and then you will be civil with everyone at the party." Hermione headed back inside.

"You too little man." Ginny followed her.

--

"You're early. Everyone is off running errands until tonight." Harry relaxed in one of the lounges.

"We spent most of the morning fielding the press, before stopping in to visit with Grams." Wills got himself settled on another lounge.

"Then you just missed Rory and Dromi arriving for their dress fitting and meeting with Franc aka the wedding coordinator." Draco smirked.

"We got to say a proper hello to them before Gran and Aunt Lily shooed us off." Henry wiggled his eyebrows playfully at them.

"Uncle Wills! Uncle Henry!" Ally, Mia, and Izzy appeared on the terrace and went to pounce on them.

"Well hello there sweeties. It's good to see you too." Wills cuddled Ally.

"We missed all of you terribly." Henry cuddled Mia and Izzy.

"Are you gonna go away again?" Ally pouted.

"No silly. They're gonna live in their new houses with…" Mia blurted out then clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oops...sorry Daddy."

"That's okay angel." Harry winked at her.

"New houses?" Wills and Henry arched a brow at Harry and Draco.

"It was supposed to be a surprise." Izzy nodded.

"Marcus and his equally brilliant other-half Addison, have a surprise for your homecoming and freedom from the Royal Forces. They designed and built two homesteads with the help of Rory and Dromi. Bree our up-and-coming Wizarding Architect in training helped Marcus with the design too." Draco explained.

"We managed to keep it secret for nearly a year. We know that you love the manor, but now that the two of you are free men thought that you and our sisters would like places of your own." Harry reached next to him for a bottle of icy cold Guinness. "Now it's not like the locations that we chose aren't prime spots, in fact they happen to be right on this very lake."

"Hang on a minute, how's that possible when all the prime spots are already spoken for?" Wills popped the cap off a bottle and took a pull from it.

"There's more than enough property to spread around here on the estate. So, we made the area _Unplottable_ and cast a _Fidelius Charm_, so there was no way that you could ever even get a hint about what we were all up to." Harry casually explained the how and why. "You've got access to both stables, so your love of horses will be appeased."

"That explains all of those weird emails, texts, and conversations about landscaping and our home décor preferences." Henry shook his head in disbelief. "And we thought they were remolding Highgrove, Kensington Palace, or one of a dozen houses like the cottages at Balmoral Castle."

"If what I've heard is true then you're lucky that they asked you anything at all." Draco rolled his eyes at them as he took a swig of his Guinness.

"Yeah, is it true? Did you tell them when it came to the wedding that they were to do what they wished? And you both promised to dress smartly in your Princely military officers dress uniforms and say I do on cue?" Harry now had Mia cuddled on his lap.

"Yes…well…that is our task is it not…" Wills shrugged.

"Look for the last four years we've been assigned to Embassy after Embassy all over the globe, not to mention got a taste of every branch of the Armed Forces. When it came to the wedding decisions we were out of the loop anyway, so we just gave them full rein." Henry spoke up in their defense.

"Well, in that case boys you can't complain about anything that was decided during your time away." Diana appeared on the terrace railing.

"What's going on Mum?" Wills frowned.

"It has been decided that on the day of your double wedding that William will also take the crown." Diana answered sweetly. "In other words son of mine your coronation will also be on your wedding day."

Wills took a deep calming breath. "Would you girls please run along back inside for a bit while we continue this chat out of earshot of your sensitive little ears?"

"Are we still gonna have cake and ice-cream?" Ally frowned.

"Don't you worry little one. You'll still get your treat now scoot." Wills set her down on her feet.

"Okay, but it's no use getting mad since you're going to have to eventually be king." Mia frowned at her Uncle.

"It's a fact that you really need to face." Izzy shook her head at him in disappointment.

"Run along girls and by that I mean physically walk back into the house." Harry ordered softly.

"Yes Daddy," Mia and Ally chimed in unison.

"It's so much easier to pop about, but I'll walk." Izzy walked proudly into the house just like a proper lady should and her nieces followed her.

--

"Well do you still think those new schools were such a grand idea?" Henry snagged a scone from the tray on the table beside him and took a bite of it.

"Yes I do." Harry paused to cast an _Imperturbable Charm_ on the doors, so if in fact Wills did happen to go off it would be muffled by the invisible barrier. "They have qualified teachers, who can rein in magically gifted students, but those who were left out of the genetic role of the dice aren't left behind nor are they shunned by their peers."

"Rein in Dani? Highly bloody unlikely," Wills scoffed.

"Uncle Max is the Headmaster, Percy, Penelope, Aunt Molly. Mum, Aunt Alice, Uncle Frank, Aunt Jenna, Kane, Lotus, Dromi, Aunt Harley, and Uncle Sirius are all fine professors more than able to handle the lot of them." Draco countered.

"Was the call that I got a few days ago from my miserable niece about being on restriction for jinxing a group of yobs was all a farce?" Wills shot that bit of news into play.

"Dani is a lovely little girl, who is very protective of her sisters." Diana spoke up in her defense.

"Kane has the patience of a saint. The boys are jealous because they weren't as magically gifted as the other kids. Only one of them has the potential magic wise, while the other three are borderline squibs. They focused on Dani and the others because many of them are in special classes. Her sisters and most of the younger generation of the family are at semi-Hogwarts level magic wise. Dani however is at Hogwarts level and has special class with Kane, Chen, Mab, or Merlin three times a week." Harry got up and started pacing the terrace.

"What's Dani at Muggle education wise?" Henry and Wills asked at the same time.

"The triplets have the intelligence of university students. Dani's mind like her mothers is limitless and she constantly needs to be challenged, thus the need for the special attention." Harry continued to pace. "But then MJ, Izzy, Orry, DJ, Liam, Julie, Nate, Matt, and the list goes on are all highly intelligent as well. They're in a section of the school that is all their own which is yet another reason the boys were jealous of them."

"That's no surprise since their parents aren't slouches magic or intelligence wise either." Wills was glad to be home among the chaos again.

"It was only as a request from their parents. Which Uncle Albus honored, that three of the boys were allowed to go to the Godric Gryffindor School instead of one of the other two schools earmarked for their level of magic. Anyway Dani has the habit, as you both know, of jinxing a person if you really peeve her off. It's like a subconscious reaction that she hasn't been able to tame quite yet. Speaking of Peeves…" Harry rolled his eyes heavenward. "He and Dani are chums, so he's decided to change his haunting grounds to our little corner of the world instead of Hogwarts. I've no doubt in my mind that he's haunting the Crumbly household for upsetting Dani. Now as for the Crane, and Fouler households, they hurt Dani, so it'll be far worse for them because The Bloody Baron is fond of her as well." Harry sat back down on the lounge.

"Peeves sees all of us as family, so we take turns having him around our homes…but the Baron thank heavens still prefers to live at the Castle." Draco grumbled.

"Thanks for the, uh, heads up..." Henry arched a brow at Wills and changed the subject back to his brother. "What's so big about being King? Grams has subtly been preparing you for it. It's the reason for our being transferred to country after country. You've opened and closed Parliament two years running. The girls have the royal bit mastered to an art and Grams wishes to enjoy spoiling the little ones."

"Nothing when you spell it out that way…" Wills got up to restlessly pace the terrace.

"Hey, if it's about my vision all those years back then you need to know that it was only what could have been. Hermione is carrying our boys and not one of each as I foresaw. Your not alone, all of us will stand by you no matter what. It's taken some doing, but in the last four years we've quietly merged both Muggle and Wizarding Worlds at least when it comes to the castles, palaces, and so on. You'll still be able to coincide between both worlds, while still being able to carry out your duties as King and Queen, and Crowned Prince and Princess." Harry found himself grinning up at Wills.

"That bored were you?"

"We've rounded up the bad ones Dark wizard wise. Last week, after his estranged wife and son turned in Karkaroff and his minions, Draco and I brought back Karkaroff and his band of followers. It's been quiet so much so we've done favors for the PM and various countries all on the QT of course, but then Madam President of the United States is a leader whom I have no problem doing favors for."

"She had us over at the White House many times. She was a good friend of our mum as was her husband." Henry adored America's choice for President as did the world.

"She's a lovely person…they both are." Di smiled warmly. "Now Wills becoming King on your wedding day clears the way for you to focus on other more important matters of state." She winked at him.

"Mother you needn't remind me. Rory is pining for a little one, so you'll not have long to wait. She's been longing for one of her own since our ultraprivate wedding on Christmas." Wills was also more than ready to be a dad and had a silly grin on his face.

"So is Dromi." Henry chuckled. "Not to mention the entire bloomin world. The first question out of the reporters mouths was 'Are kids in yours and William's futures or did we plan on waiting a year?' "

"To which I retorted that odds were yes because we needed to play catch up with the rest of the family." Wills smirked.

"Yeah, everyone is one or two more up on you four. Uncle Max is smitten over Victoria, our Tori, which is why he retired his post as an Auror to become Headmaster of the new school here in Godric's Hollow. Kane is besotted with his baby girl Mei Lien. Mac has Amanda to rave about. Seamus has Ian. Percy has Thaddeus, poor little guy is suck with Tad for a nickname. Bill adores Daria. Fred and George have Fiona and Tabitha. Ron's got Tyson and Ryan. I can't leave out Logan's mini me Orry…" Draco tapped a finger against his chin as if to say am I missing someone.

"Add MJ, Izzy, Liam, Julie, Nate, Dani, Ally, Mia, Matt…Oh and you forgot Cedric's son Rohan and I think you've about covered it…No that's not right Uncle Regulus has Candy and Leo. Dean and Chase are new fathers-to-be. Plus Bill, Charlie, Dad, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, and I are all expectant fathers again." Harry had a smug grin on his face.

"Holly cricket… I had no idea how vast the baby boom had spread…No wonder Rory is pining for a miracle of her own." Wills coughed out after nearly swallowing some Guinness down the wrong pipe.

"Well, big brother odds are you'll both have twins, so don't sweat it." Draco chuckled.

"He's seen it." Harry shot Wills a knowing look.

"Yes, but it varies. Sometimes I've one of each in my arms and other times it's two of the same. Anyway you slice it I'm ready to have them become a reality." Wills laid-back down on a lounger closed his eyes and thought of his future to come.

"The girls are gonna have twins born four weeks apart is my best guess." Henry sighed happily at the thought of being a parent to two little girls.

"My boys are most likely gonna share my birthday with me, not a bad birthday present that or winning the World Cup again by kicking Krum's ass." Harry glanced over at Diana happily enjoying having her boys around her again. "It's good to have them home again. Isn't it Aunt Diana?"

"Finally, my boys can start on their destinies." Di sighed dreamily.

"You win Mum. I'll be crowned on the same day as the wedding." Wills admitted defeat.

"Wills you can't postpone your destiny forever… Now Harry as for your boys don't assume anything the two of them are on their own time table, so be ready to be a father anytime from now to your birthday." Di smiled serenely, and blew them all a kiss.

"Great thanks for the heads up," Harry's eyes widened in surprise and decided that working on his next book would be a good distraction.

Henry's mobile rang. He glanced down to see who was calling and smiled it was Dromi. "Hello sweetness, you still with Grams and Mum?" He listened to her purred response and grinned. "Meet you at twenty-five Pendragon Lane? Sure angel I'll be right there. Love you too." He ended the call. "I'll see you gents later." He got up from the lounge, walked down the terrace steps, and then disapparated.

Wills surmised that Rory hadn't been liberated yet and settled off to catch a nap. Two minutes later his mobile rang. "How goes the tedious task of planning a wedding and coronation, my fire?" He listened intently to her reply. "You say your where? What the devil is at twenty-eight Pendragon Lane? A surprise you say…worth my while…What's that barking in the background…Alright love don't pout, I'll be right there. I love you more…bye."

"The party is at six sharp. Be late and Mione AK's you." Harry warned him before he also got up and disapparated from the patio.

"Draco are you gonna give in and let Ginny have her little ones?" Di asked curiously.

"Yeah, little brother inquiring minds wanna know?" Harry looked up from his laptop and grinned wickedly at him.

"After the Cup and not before is what we settled on. Bulgaria is ruthless and hell-bent to dethrone us. She's got her heart set on playing the match with us." Draco decided that a catnap was a good idea and closed his eyes.

Harry set aside his work and decided to do the same.

Dani walked outside her long reddish brown hair was done up in a half ponytail curled with ringlets as was the rest of her locks. She was all dressed up in a pretty rainbow colored party dress, with matching stockings, and Mary Janes to match. "Everyone's napping…" She tiptoed over to her father.

"It's the perfect day for a summer afternoon nap." Di winked at her.

"I'll nap with Daddy then." She settled herself against his chest and he instinctively wrapped a protective arm around her middle and within moments she was fast asleep.

DJ came out and cuddled up to take his nap with Draco.

Diana happily sat down in an empty lounge and stood watch over them while they slept.

--

Chapter three

Life is full of surprises

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	3. Life is full of surprises

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 3

Life is full of surprises

--

Hermione winced as a twinge shot across her middle.

"Listen boys we had a deal." She rubbed lotion on her middle which usually made them do summersaults, but the two of them were unusually quite.

"Oh, come on what's so wrong about nine whole months?" She rubbed the small of her aching back. "Not that your both not ready to enter the world…you are, but I was hoping to be able to enjoy my big brothers party tonight."

:Want out now.: The tiny voice of one of her boys answered back.

:It be crowded in here.: A second voice echoed after his twin.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock the two of them rarely chatted with her. It was usually Harry or Dani that they chattered too. Only when they had a special request like for a sweet, snack, or what they wished to have for dinner did they really chat with her. They saw her as the nurturer and didn't wish to upset that delicate balance. "Like father so very much like sons."

She took several cleansing breaths to center her thoughts, not really relishing the ten hours of labor to come.

"Uncle Paddy's out back with Uncle Sirius, Uncle Regulus, Uncle Remus, Uncle Max, and Dad working the barbecues for the party." Harry walked into her dressing area and saw that she was still in her dressing gown. "Mione don't AK me for asking this, but is it the boys?"

Hermione burst into tears. "Is it so terrible of me to want some certainty in my life? Can't the fates just give me a break for once? Granted this isn't me being alone in a freakishly awful storm, but damn it I really was looking forward to enjoying the party, which mind you I've been meticulously planning for over a month!" She gasped when she felt pressure and then warm water streamed down her legs, but her water breaking did not appease her temper at all. "I was only using those as a metaphor! I haven't even had my baby shower yet and I know that they were planning a surprise one for me this weekend!" She pounded on Harry's chest when he went to gather her in his arms.

"Shh, baby, we'll get through this…" For that mistake of words she right crossed him in the jaw sending him flying backwards onto his ass.

"WE! THERE IS NO WE! I'M THE ONE CARRYING OUR BOYS NOT YOU!!" She ranted at him.

Harry rubbed his sore jaw with his hand and reined in his temper. All in all this was far better than getting AK'd forty times, "Are you in labor yet?! Is this why you're going completely mental on me?!" He vaulted back up to his feet and had a go at picking her up again.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH ME HARRY JAMES!!" She hauled off and hit him again this time in the eye. "YOU DID THIS TO ME, SO BACK OFF!!"

"Damn it to bloody hell, Hermione, answer the goddamned question!! Are you having contractions yet or not!!" Harry glared at her with his good eye, since his other one was beginning to swell shut. He did nevertheless manage to take her into his arms this time.

"No!! I'm fine so far!! The boys just declared to me that they wanted out!" Hermione screeched at him. "They chatter nonstop with you, but with me it's I want! I want! I want!" She pounded against his chest. "Well, I wanted them to be born as scheduled and it's not fair for them to want to change it!! This is too fast! I had weeks with the girls to psyche myself up for the ten hours of labor to come!! I'm not ready yet!!"

"I know, angel mine, its awful when one of us guys spoils your plans, but we've always been on their time table. We have no say in the matter. The two of them have always been running the show." Harry swept her up in his arms and carried her into the bathroom suite.

"I'm sorry that I went off on you like that…" Hermione sniffled miserably. "Could you please draw me a bath? It'll help me relax."

"Sure love then I'll go get Mum and Grams." Harry set her down on her feet.

She sat down on the lid of the loo and buried her face in her hands. "Four hours would be lovely…I don't think I can handle ten…"

"We're a team Mione and can handle anything that life throws our way." Harry set about drawing her bath adding various potions, bath salts, and the rose water that she loved in her bath. All of which would center her for the task ahead of her.

"I…" Hermione gasped as her first contraction took her breath away.

Harry was instantly at her side. "Easy love, remember your breathing…" He conjured a cool cloth in his hand to bathe her face with. "Do you wish for me to link with you yet?"

She shook her head no. "It's only just begun…" She panted.

"You carried them for the duration, it's my turn to take the field…" Harry gritted his teeth as a wave of pain rocked his body.

"Mummy!! Daddy!!" Dani raced into their bathroom. "The boys say its time…" She gawked at her parents.

"Dani. I can't leave your mother. I need you to go get your Grams…" Harry glanced up at his daughter.

"Wicked cool!! I was right! Ally is gonna be so mad."

"Dani…now would be good." Hermione puffed out.

"I'm going!!" She raced out of the room.

"Add seer to her list of endless talents." Hermione sighed as the contraction finally passed, resting her forehead against his own.

"I did that last Christmas." Harry kissed her temple.

"I'm sorry about your jaw and oh your poor eye…"

"Mione for the record I love you and as for the jaw and eye you were having a panic attack. I'll take this over forty AK's any day." Harry pulled her up to her feet. "Still want your tub?"

"Yes, I need to relax or my labor will only get worse." She nodded.

He got her settled in the tub. "To tell you the truth I like this reality far more than my dream vision. Having the family around instead of us alone in the storm of the century is much better. Dad and Mum get the honor of having her namesake and we get two perfect little boys…"

The stained-glass windows of the master bath rattled, as a clap of thunder boomed off in the distance.

"You were saying about the storm?" Hermione opened one eye to look at him, as raindrops sprinkled the skylight above the tub.

"You were in a temper. I was getting frustrated, and Dani most likely told Ally that she was right and Ally was wrong. That in itself is more than enough to trigger a sudden evening early summer storm…" He winced nearly yelping in pain when she grabbed hold of his right hand with a death grip. "Another one…?"

Hermione nodded her head vigorously, as she started on her breathing exercises again.

Harry slid down onto the cool marble tile floor and linked with her again. "By the Powers…" he gasped in pain. "They really do want out…" Sweat instantly beaded his brow and broke out over his skin, as the feeling of pressure and mind numbing pain once again washed over him.

--

Lily, Anna, Violet, Dromi, and Ginny appeared in the bathroom.

"How far apart are her contractions?" Violet linked with Hermione, as a Master Healer and Empath she easily pushed passed the pain and feeling of pressure.

"The boys are in a hurry to greet us. Her contractions are less than four minutes apart." Harry gritted his teeth in pain.

"Dromi go get the bed ready. Ginny, I'll need the potion that I brought with me this evening it's sitting on the kitchen counter. Lily, I want you to go back with the others."

"Mum I'm fine…" Lily protested.

"You have been nauseous all-day and need to go back downstairs and put your feet up." Violet growled impatiently at her daughter before turning to talk to Anna. "I'll need Celestra and Mab as well…"

"Why?!" Hermione started to panic that something was wrong with her boys.

"Nothing is wrong sweetheart. I just promised them that they could be here to tend you too." Violet reassured her in a soft soothing tone.

"Mab pouted when she missed the birth of the girls and Celestra's Healer specialty is little ones." Anna walked over and placed a gentle hand against Hermione's brow. "An hour…three at the most and you'll be seeing your boys."

"Oh thank the gods." Hermione gasped out in relief. "I eased into labor with the girls, but ten hours of this would drain Harry and me both."

"They just want out a little faster than the girls did. I'll be right back." Anna smiled down at her then vanished.

"Second babies often do." Violet picked up a warm fluffy bath sheet for Harry to wrap Hermione in. "I'll need to check her over and for that she needs out of the tub."

Harry easily managed the task. "Up you go love."

"Mum? Could you please go tell mother and Daddy that it's time for their fourth and fifth grandchildren to be born?" Hermione asked Lily softly, as Harry set about drying her off with the warm bath sheet. "They should be getting ready for the party."

"Of course I will sweetheart." Lily brushed her lips across Hermione's brow instantly linking with her. "The boys are fine baby. My guess would be two hours not a moment more." She vanished before her mother could scold her.

"Here's the potion that you asked for Gran." Ginny appeared beside her. "Wills is beyond pleased the boys chose to share his birthday with him, but Henry is sulking. Uncle Andrew, Aunt Sarah, and Aunt Elizabeth just arrived. Everyone else is either outside determined to barbecue regardless of the storm or setting things up inside for the party. Danny & Em, are doing publicity for Young James Bond and for her smash hit single. Bea, and Genie are all stuck at their Universities studying for finals, but all send their love. Bastion and Bree have finals to finish taking at Hogwarts, and send their love. That basically covers that."

"Thank you for the heads up, Gin." Hermione smiled weakly. "Um, could you get my cotton nightgown for me? I want to wear it please."

"Sure thing sweetie," Ginny smiled.

"Here honey, drink this." Violet handed her a potion.

Hermione wasted no time drinking down every last drop of the potion. "How did you know that I would need it?"

"Dani had a dream a few days ago and confided to me about it." Violet answered serenely.

"Days ago…" Harry gapped opened mouthed at his Grandmother.

"She told me on Saturday." She nodded. "She thought it was breaking restriction, so she told me instead."

Ginny was back and helped Hermione into her nightdress. "She told DJ about it too. He's been smiling at us and saying how he knows a secret."

"No wonder she's been brooding…" Hermione gasped as another contraction nearly knocked her off her feet.

"Let's get you settled in bed." Harry, blocking out the pain that was also coursing through him, swept her up into his arms.

Candles were lit throughout the bedroom, soft music was playing, and crystals pulsating with energy were placed around the bed.

"I'll take her grandson before your legs give out on you because of the pain that you're taking from her." Merlin took Hermione out of his arms and got her settled on the bed.

"I was fine first-gramps." Harry lied through his teeth that one had nearly done him in.

"Sure you were lad." Merlin let him lean on him for support instantly realizing that Harry was trying to take nearly all the pain that Hermione was going through. "Three quarters is the limit…now let's give them a few minutes to tend to Hermione."

"I'll be fine, lion." Hermione was feeling the soothing relief of the potion and was calm and serene now.

"We'll take care of her, now off with you. You need to change your clothes." Mab pointed to the bathroom doorway.

"The crystals and potion will work their magic while we see how far she's progressed." Celestra smiled.

"I'll be back out in a few minutes." Harry reluctantly let Merlin drag him into the bathroom and close the door behind them.

--

Two hours later the two of them were holding adorable identical twin sons in their arms. They each had a full cap of jet-black hair and a tiny lightning shape birthmark. They both weighted in at a healthy seven pounds six ounces and were twenty-four inches long. The only differences between them were their eye color one had hazel while the other had emerald green and their birthmarks were on opposite cheeks of their bums.

"Now that they've finished their first meals and are content about it we can let everyone in and see them." Hermione yawned sleepily.

"First-Grams was firm about us bonding with them before allowing visitors." Harry chuckled.

"Dad is dying to get his hands on his namesake." Hermione kissed James 'Jamie' Alexander William Henry on the top of his downy head.

"They were all brooding and grumbling in protest, but no one defies First-Grams." Harry smiled down at Rafferty 'Rafe' Albus Arthur Merlin, who had a firm grip on his finger.

"That and we haven't revealed their names yet." Hermione chuckled softly.

"Dad's just banking on us sticking with our original plan…" Harry glanced over at the adjoining doorway that led to the nursery where their daughters were standing quietly careful not to make a sound. "Come in ladies and meet your new brothers." Harry smiled at them.

The three girls quietly made their way over to their parent's bed and then carefully climbed up onto it, so they could get a better first view.

"Oh, they're so pink and tiny…" Ally peaked into the baby blue blankets to look at Rafe and then at Jamie.

"They're both so adorable," Mia cooed down at them.

"Mummy are you really okay?" Dani stared wide-eyed at her brothers then focused on her mother.

"Yes, darling girl, I'm fine." Hermione reached over to gently tug on her long ponytail. "Now what do you think of your brothers?"

"Well, since they've been chattering at me off and on for nearly four months…I guess they'll just have to do." Dani got all serious.

Harry reached out to tickle her with his free hand. "Danielle just answer the question."

"I think the two of them are adorable and love them to pieces. I promise to look after them and keep them safe. I mean mummy had to go through all of that pain and stuff. So it's the least that I can do right?" Dani had snuck in just in time to see Rafe being born and was still awed by what she'd seen. "Sorry Daddy. You helped her too by linking with Mummy…"

"I think someone slipped away from the others and wound up getting an eyeful." Hermione arched a brow at Harry.

"She's like her mother and likes to be kept in the loop about what's going on." Harry wasn't the least bit surprised.

"So that's where you snuck off to." Ally gaped opened mouthed at her sister.

"No wonder you looked so floored." Mia shook her head at Dani.

"Everyone was talkin nonstop about it, so I had to go see for myself." Dani pouted. "Besides, Jamie paged me…"

"Oh honey, no one is faulting you for being curious. It's natural for you to want to see your brother being born." Hermione smiled at her daughter.

"Are you okay about what you saw?" Harry arched a knowing brow at her.

"I'm fine. I've decided when I'm older that I'll adopt, because that looked beyond painful to me." Dani blurted out.

Hermione bit back her giggles while Harry got dark and broody.

"Oh, baby girl, you have a long, long, time to go before ever having to make a decision like that. Yes, it's painful, but the reward from all the pain is well worth it." Hermione chuckled.

"No one is laying a finger on my girls until they're thirty…" Harry grumbled under his breath, but then added when Hermione glared at him. "Although, when your time comes many and I stress the word MANY years from now. You will find that you've had a change of heart and wish to share a child with the man who won your heart and the honor of marrying you."

"If you say so, but I'm not that big on pain." Dani sighed.

"There you are." William, who was carrying DJ in his arms, stood in the doorway of the nursery.

"Told ya she was here with Aunt Mione and Uncle Harry," DJ grinned up at his Uncle. "I always know where Dani is."

"Nate and Matt wanted to go find Ally and Mia." Henry walked up beside Wills with a boy holding onto either had. "Just so you both know. Everyone downstairs is chomping at the bit to see the boys."

"There's no point in denying it anymore, my lion, our girls have admirers." Hermione giggled when Harry glared at her.

"Friends…Mione. They have friends." Harry grumbled.

"You're in denial baby brother, but I can understand why." Wills walked over to see the twins. "Talking about your mirror images of their Dad..."

"So, have the two of you decided on names yet?" Henry also went to take a look at the boys.

"Daddy says now you've got a fighting chance." DJ looked down at his cousins.

"Mine says that this way just maybe he'll survive with his sanity." Matt was picked up, so he could see the boys. "They're both wrinkly and pink…" He wrinkled his nose. "Are all babies wrinkly and pink?"

"Newborns tend to be, at least for the first week or so." Hermione answered softly.

"I'll bet my new baby sister will be like that too." Nate got a first look at the twins.

"Yeah pretty much," Harry chuckled. "Now as for what your fathers have been saying…no comment."

"Smart Baby brother very wise indeed," Wills grinned knowingly at Harry. "Now do they have names or not?"

"Mione is holding James Alexander William Henry and I've got Rafferty Albus Arthur Merlin in my arms." Harry proudly announced their names.

"How can ya tell who's who?" DJ frowned. "They look the same."

"That's simple DJ. Jamie has hazel eyes like Grandpa and Rafe has green eyes like Daddy." Dani chimed in.

"That's right Dani." Harry reached over and tweaked her on the nose with his free hand.

"Is something wrong big brothers?" Hermione noticed how quiet both Wills and Henry had become.

"Yeah, don't you like our choices?" Harry frowned.

"You named one after us…" Wills was touched beyond words.

"Yeah, it's a shock to ones system…" Henry could barely speak.

"We named them after some of the most influential male figures in their lives and after mother's father. We would have added Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius, but four names is already a mouthful…" Hermione didn't know what to think about their reactions and blinked back tears. "Both my parents lost their parents at eighteen... I thought mum would like that and Dad's father was named Arthur, so neither is left out.

"Oh, baby sister, we're not mad, far from it. We're touched beyond words and honored that you feel that way about us." Wills blinked back tears of his own.

"We shall try to live up to the role." Henry was also near tears.

"Try? That's rubbish you've more than lived up to it." Harry handed Rafe to Henry. "Here hold your nephew."

"Harry's right. You've both been part of my lives since forever. Now hold Jamie." Hermione handed Jamie to Wills.

"Is this a private party or can everyone join in?" James opened the bedroom door and poked his head in.

"The more the merrier." Harry and Hermione smiled. "Come see your grandsons."

"Yeah, come in and see our baby brothers." The triplets chimed and just like that the family quietly piled into the room.

--

Chapter four

Kismet Spirits

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	4. Kismet Spirits

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 4

Kismet Spirits

--

I decided to split up this into parts, because it was going on fifty pages, so happy reading.

--

"Hey, Little Bit, wake up." Wills gently nudged Dani's duvet covered form. "Granny has my day pretty much booked, but I can squeeze in that ride that I promised you."

Dani opened one sleepy eye to look at her uncle. "It's too early to get up yet."

"It's 0700 in the morning and the fresh air will do you good." Wills set the breakfast tray down on the table in her room.

"Can't I take a rain check?" Dani protested when he tossed back her covers.

Poor Rad and Crooks jumped off the bed and went in search of some other place to snooze.

"Nope sorry Little Bit the two of us are going riding." He had already fished her riding gear out of her closet and had set it out for her in her bathroom. "Now be a good little niece and go change." He scooped her up off the bed and set her on her feet.

"Do Mummy and Daddy know that you're kidnapping me?" Dani stumbled sleepily into her bathroom. "I'm four they have laws against taking a kid against her wishes."

"I've cleared it with Harry and Hermione. They said I could take you for the whole day if I wished too." Wills chuckled when Dani swore in fluent Parseltounge. "Now, now none of that, Little Bit. Let's see there's a dedication for the new Michael James Evans wing at the children's hospital in London. Another at the 2012 Olympic park, then there's the opening of Digital Fantasia, The new digital amusement park. That's followed by lunch. I was thinking pizza and then I get fitted for the wedding and you get fitted for your flower girl dress. Now after that I check in with Granny, who is pining to see you, and we come back home for a ride on Beaky. We end the day with dinner then bedtime for you."

"What's my other choice?" Dani emerged from her bathroom dressed except for her riding boots.

"You can spend all day with your sisters doing girl things." Wills knew all too well that she'd rather die than play dress-up, dolls, or have tea parties, so her choices were slim. "It's either them or me, Little Bit."

Dani sat down on her bed looked down at the boots in her hands then up at Wills and sighed, "Do I have to wear a dress?"

Wills helped her put on her boots. "Yeah, but then I have to wear a suit too ya know."

"Is Aunt Rory gonna be there?" She handed him a brush and some bands for her hair.

"Yep, where I go she goes and Henry and Dromi will be there too." Wills had no problem fixing her long tresses in a french braid.

"Oh, well, at least the digital amusement park will be fun…"

"Yeah, kiddo life is rough, but there's a triple hot fudge brownie sundae in it for you at lunch that's only if you successfully complete your mission." Wills added bribery to the mix, but it wasn't necessary.

"I missed you Uncle Wills." Dani hugged him.

"I missed you too midget. Now let's fuel up and then put Wicked through his paces." Wills hugged her fiercely and then the two of them sat down to eat breakfast at the activity table in the corner of her room.

"I'm not jealous or anything. I love my baby brothers a lot, so if Mum and Dad are trying to keep me from being underfoot…" She wrinkled her nose at the very thought that her parents thought that of her. "I don't even mind them crying every four hours or there should be a hazardous waste warning on their diapers."

"You and your sisters have been wonderful all week, while everyone has been focused on the boys. Everyone can see that it's clear as day the three of you adore your brothers. They just thought you might want some attention too."

"Can DJ come too?" Dani asked between bites of hotcakes.

"DJ, huh…" Wills feigned a pout. "I'm jealous."

"The thing is I just don't wish to make any of the others jealous…" Dani blushed.

"I know and I promise you they won't be." Wills winked at her, "None of them are brave enough to face the muggle sharks. That and Rory tells me that you've been avoiding fittings for your dresses when your sisters go with them."

"We survived them in Vancouver when we got to attend the Winter Olympic Games, but then I wasn't wearing this bracelet on my wrist then either." Dani munched on a piece of bacon. "It was neat seeing you and Uncle Henry, Aunt Romi, and Aunt Rory carrying in the Olympic flag…"

"Yeah, that's something that I'll never forget either or getting to run a leg of the torch relay. Although, the press at the dedication ceremonies won't be nearly as bad as what was in Vancouver. Grams and Dad wished to show a united front family wise. All of you got to have a twenty-eight day break from school. Which for Bastion and Bree was a welcome breath of fresh air from their sixth year classes." Wills sipped his tea as he thought of their memorable midwinter break.

"I liked being around all those people and experiencing all of that energy and love that they all had for one another and their countries. It's wicked knowing that we get to experience it here in two years." Dani finished with her breakfast. "I'll be almost seven then and I'll be able to really take it all in. You get to do the coolest things, like attending the closing ceremonies in China, or visiting the White House in the States."

"Yeah, my life isn't boring by any means of the word and it's about to get even more complicated this August."

"What's complicated about it? You're gonna make a wicked cool King and you have Aunt Rory for a Queen." Dani finished off her juice. "That and Aunt Rory can finally get her wish."

"Wish?" Wills arched a brow at her.

"Yeah, she wants to be a momma and now that you're out of the Army she can get her wish." Dani nodded as if talking about this wasn't that big of a deal or anything.

"Oh, yeah, that wish…" Wills shook his head at her in amusement. "Yes, kiddo, that's on our agenda after the official ceremony this August."

"Good because you'd make a great dad." Dani smiled pleased with his answer. "I'm all set to go riding now."

"I'm honored that you think that Little Bit." Wills voice was hoarse with emotion.

"Yeah, well, that's how all of us kids feel." Dani was halfway to her door when Wills scooped her up into his arms for a hug.

"Let's go ma petite." Wills carried her out of the room nearly tripping over Missy one of Rad and Lady's three-month-old pups. "Sorry about that Missy, didn't know that you were there."

"She wanted to sleep in Mia's room last night, but usually she sleeps with me. Bailey sleeps with MJ or Izzy, Lolly sleeps with Ally or Mia." Dani smiled down at the pup.

"So who's idea was it to give Henry and I pups?" Wills reached down and scooped up the pup with his free hand, so as not to step on her.

"We thought that you would like them." Dani frowned.

"Oh, I do like Lucky and Henry adores Lulu." Wills reassured her. "I was just curious that's all."

"Good, because they love Aunt Romi and Aunt Rory too pieces." Dani laughed when Missy licked her face. "Okay Missy you can come along on our ride too."

"We'll see Little Bit, but she's still too small for that." Wills chuckled when the pup slobber kissed his face, as if pleading with him to let her come with them.

"Good Morning…" Harry walked out of the nursery with baby Jamie cuddled against his shoulder.

"Morning Daddy and baby Jamie. Uncle Wills is nobbing me for the day." Dani was all serious with her father.

Harry winced at the nobbing comment, as did Wills. "He's taking you out for the day, angel face, not taking you against yours or our wishes for that matter." Harry corrected her.

"She's just being a cheeky brat this morning." Wills tugged on her braid.

"Because Dad, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, Logan, and Charlie are off camping with the boys. Your Mum and I thought a day out would be good for you." Harry hated the betrayed look that she was shooting him.

"I wanted to go camping too."

"Yes, I'm aware of that, but you and DJ both forfeited that by joyriding on Spirit. Are we forgetting about that?" Harry kept his tone low as not to awaken Jamie.

"Then why can't DJ come with me today?"

"Draco didn't go camping, so DJ is hanging with him today. You'll be hanging with me today, so quit while you're ahead." Wills had thought that they were passed this, but he was wrong.

"Can I at least have this off?" She pointed to the bracelet on her wrist.

"Danielle, are we having a problem this morning?" Hermione stepped out of the nursery with Rafe snoozing on her shoulder.

"No mummy. I'm just grouchy this morning." She murmured softly.

"A day out will do you a world of good and a day out with your Aunts and Uncles, well, that's even better. Ally and Mia spent yesterday with your Aunts while you chose to stay home and now it's your turn." Hermione walked over and kissed her cheek. "I'll not have you brooding all summer and this will give you a change of scenery. You are the oldest and can more than handle your itinerary for the day."

"I'm not brooding. I love my brothers and as for yesterday's outing…Uncle Franc's scary these days and I'm not a dress up doll." Dani grumbled softly.

"That's lovely to hear baby girl and yes Francis can be a bit pushy, you see even your father is wary of him."

"The guy may be family, but he's scary as heck when he's wielding that hot pink measuring tape of his." Harry winked at his daughter.

"I'll second that statement." Wills chuckled. "Shall we be off then?"

"See you later…I guess." Dani sighed as if defeated.

"Yes, little shadow, we love you and hope that you at least try to enjoy your day." Harry walked over and kissed her nose. "Missy is too little to go riding with you this morning."

"Yes, daddy," She nodded. "We were just putting her out for a bit. I know she's too little." She formed her lip in a pout and blinked soulfully at him.

Rad pawed at Wills riding boots.

"I'm not gonna drop either of them so relax." Wills growled down at the full-grown collie still pawing at his boots.

"It's just parental instinct, Wills. He means no offense." Harry was amused.

"Missy is the baby of his and Lady's second litter of pups. She's the smallest of all of them and if it hadn't been for Bastion's quick thinking this Easter we would have lost her." Hermione murmured soothingly, as if dealing with one of the children.

"Yes, I'm aware of all that, since I was here for Easter, and I will humor Rad by letting him tend to her needs himself." Wills set Missy down in front of Rad.

Rad gently picked her up by the scruff of her neck and padded down the hallway.

"Don't pout Uncle Wills. You'll be a daddy come next spring." Dani whispered in his ear.

"I shall hold you to that." Wills whispered back. "Will it be one of each or two of the same?" He kissed her nose.

"So, our budding seer has had another dream has she?" Harry grinned knowingly at Dani. "She was spot on about the boys and then about their arrival, but then since she's the near mirror image of her mum I'd expect nothing less."

"Nevertheless, I expect you to have fun today, as a normal almost five-year-old should. Do you think you can do that for me, baby mine?" Hermione asked.

"Daddy? Must you tell mummy everything?" She rolled her eyes in exasperation at her father.

"Absolutely everything," Harry nodded soberly. "She'll always be my secret keeper and I'll always be hers."

Hermione kissed his cheek. "Forever, my lion." She purred softly.

"Really you two…" Dani winkled her nose in disapproval. "Must you get all mushy even when holding the boys?"

Wills snorted in amusement. "Let's go midget. We need to stop in the kitchen for some carrots and apples for Star and Wicked." He slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and headed for the stairs.

:I meant all of that as a metaphor, because I wanted those boys to feel lower than Flobberworm mucus.: She decided to end this chat privately with her parents.

"I can walk ya know." She grumbled aloud.

"Yeah, but it's more fun toting you around." Wills shot back as they disappeared from view.

--

:No, Danielle, you were warranted to feel rushed and what have you. Your father and I are going to make it a point this summer to give the three of you as normal a summer as possible. Now I love you and wish for you to enjoy your day my darling girl and we shall see you tonight.: Hermione walked back into the nursery and then into their master suite.

"She's so much like the two of us it's almost frightening." She put Rafe down in his bassinette. "She'll be an amazing little first year come six years from now."

:Yes, Dani, normal is exactly what you need. Have fun. We love you little shadow.: Harry put Jamie down in his bassinette.

"All three of our girls are amazing, but Dani did inherit our marauder like qualities and a surplus of magic. So, yes, six years from now she'll be something to behold all right." Harry swept her up into his arms and got them both settled back in bed.

"I had that dream again. It was just before the boys woke us." Hermione curled up against him burrowing her face into his shoulder. "Is it wise to just push it aside?"

"Dreams, my love, are tools that we use to our own advantage." Harry rested his chin on top of her head and sighed. "If anything I feel sorry for the fools who play a staring role in them."

"Just to be safe we should have lifted her restriction." Hermione started to get up, but Harry wouldn't let her.

"If what we've both seen does indeed come true then the bracelet will become a trinket on her arm and nothing more." Harry assured her when she turned in his arms, so her elbows were now resting on his chest, and was staring up into his eyes. "Our daughter will be perfectly fine that I have no doubt. Now as for her captures, well, that's an entirely different potion. She'll play with them until they bore her. I'll be there to rescue her, not that she'll need it, and you'll be there to welcome her home tonight with loving open arms."

"Oh, Wolfe, sometimes you can be so deviously cruel." Hermione smothered a giggle. "Henry and Wills are gonna have kittens, but then again if they foolishly let her out of their sights then let it be on their heads then." She went from amused to serious in seconds.

"My lips are sealed on this one, as far as they'll know it's a shock to us as well." Harry was in total agreement. "Now let's catch some sleep while the boys let us and the girls snooze the morning away."

--

London

Dani sat in her child safety seat between Wills and Rory. "Do I have to wear the sunbonnet and gloves too?" She whined as she fidgeted in her delicate summer dress. It had an intricately embroidered English garden with Fairies dancing across the skirt of it, matching tights, and Mary Janes finished the outfit. It even had a frilly petticoat underneath which added to her discomfort.

"Now Dani, we're not going there dressed up for no reason. We're going there to open the new family center and rehabilitation wing at the children's hospital." Rory tilted Dani's face towards her, so she was looking at her. "Sick children that will benefit from the new Wing are our main priority and should be yours as well."

"Yes, I know Aunt Rory…" Dani stopped fidgeting and sat quietly with her hands in her lap. "I'll be the model niece the whole time. I promise."

"You can interact and visit with the little ones just no sulking." Wills kissed her brow.

"Indulge us on this one as well. There will be no wandering about. You are to be within sight of one of us always." Henry had a feeling as though something were amiss.

"I'm surprised that you didn't bring my old stroller along."

"Danielle, I'm serious about this. There will be no wandering off." Henry narrowed his eyes at her.

"If I can't go interact with any of them then what's the point of cheering up the kids?" Dani scowled.

"Just try to keep yourself where we can see you all right?"

"Okay, Uncle Henry, I'll cancel my devious plan to check over the Wing while all of you adults chat endlessly." Dani blew her perfectly styled bangs out of her eyes in sheer frustration. "I'm nearly five. I know all about strangers and all that. I also know that I'm supposed to stay with you or risk being grounded for the summer by my parents, so relax."

"They just can't forget you and DJ wandering off in Vancouver." Dromi tried to ease the tension in the Bentley.

"We just wanted to throw a plushy onto the ice and then DJ had to go to the bathroom."

"That may be so, but you caused the Men in Grey, the royal guard, the Mounties, MI 5, and MI 6 to go ballistic and we don't wish a repeat performance now do we." Wills tweaked her nose.

"No, Uncle Wills…"

"Good, so it's agreed you'll humor us on this one?"

"Yes, Uncle Henry…"

"Jolly good then maybe just maybe we'll be going home with a new Nintendo Strata tonight." Wills grinned.

"No way!" Her eyes lit up in delight.

"Yes way," Henry chuckled when she squealed in delight.

"I'll see what can be arranged, but only if you're the perfect little princess today." Wills locked eyes with hers.

"Daddy wanted one for his Birthday. Could we surprise him with it instead? Not that I won't be good, I'm gonna be a perfect angel." She added hastily.

"We'll see, Little Bit, but we're here now so let's focus on making some kids smile." Wills unbuckled her seat belt after undoing his own.

"It's a shame that I've still got this on my wrist, because I'd be able to conjure loads of things to make them smile…" Dani chattered nervously, as she eyed the queue of television media, paparazzi and on lookers warily. "Um, Uncle Wills, you can carry me until we're at the new wing if you wish to." She cuddled closer to Rory when the doors to the Bentley opened and the flashbulbs went off like blinding fireworks followed by the deafening noise of the crowd.

"Come here you." Wills arranged her in his arms, so she could hide her face against his tailored Aquascutum suit jacket, before being the first to exit the Bentley. "Be shy all you want you're nearly five it's to be expected." He crooned down at her, ignoring the delighted shouts of the media on because one of the princesses was in his arms. He then turned to help Rory out of the car.

This was followed by Henry and Dromi joining them out on the red carpet that had been laid out for their arrival.

"Do you mind easing off a bit? You are scaring my niece!" Wills eyes narrowed at the sea of sharks, when one got too close for comfort, and was dragged away by their personal guards.

"Come on now Babydoll give us a look." A member of the paparazzo shouted.

"Yeah, we don't bite." Another called out.

_Like hell you don't._ Henry thought darkly. "She's a little girl not a starlet and you blokes are scaring her." Henry snarled darkly as he clenched his fists.

"It's an official outing! We've a right to be here and get shots!" The Royal Watcher photog shouted.

"We can't help it if she's the shy one!" The guy from The Sun growled.

Flashbulbs went off like fireworks when Dani glared regally at them.

"Gentleman if you will excuse us we're running late." Rory got between them and her niece.

"What no nanny?" A BBC reporter asked.

"She doesn't need nor does she have a governess. Her parents do not delegate their parental duties to others and have managed quite nicely without one for nearly five years running." Dromi answered her coolly.

"All the royals have a nanny. It's tradition." The ITV reporter frowned.

"Traditions change and it's never been a Pendragon tradition. Our family believes in nurturing their children and chooses not to hand them off for someone else to rear. This is a tradition the four of us plan to carry on with our own children." Rory ended the chat. "We're late."

They disappeared into the hospital annex.

"Can we stop into the gift shop first?" Dani tugged at the lapel of his suit jacket.

"Sure midget. What did you have in mind?" He left the others to enter the shop.

"I wanna give the children plushies for them to cuddle when they get frightened." Dani eyed the wall of colorful plush then looked pleadingly at her uncle.

"That's very loving of you, Dani." Wills flashed a welcoming smile at the store clerk. "Good morning…" Wills paused to read her colorful name tag. "Nancy is it?"

Nancy, a bubbly blonde, curtsied in front of them. "Yes sir your royal highness."

"Please call me Wills." Wills smiled again. "My niece would love it if you could do something for us."

"I wanna give plushies to the sick children." Dani smiled shyly. "So they can cuddle 'em when they get scared."

"That's a lovely gesture, your highness." Nancy smiled warmly at the adorable little girl.

"I don't want 'em ta be scared and this place is really scary." Dani was playing the role of the shy four-year-old.

"You know it's because of people like your Uncles and Daddy that this place is a whole lot happier than it used to be." Nancy got out her Origami, so she could call up the shop's inventory list. "So let's see what we can do to make even more smile."

"I just hope there's enough." Dani calculated the number of patients in the hospital compared to the amount of plush and surmised with a frown that there wasn't nearly enough.

"We've more than enough to cover the patients in the new wing if that's what you're frowning about." Nancy responded to her frown.

"I want a plushy for every child in the hospital, not just the new wing." Dani looked up at her Uncle.

"We'll start with the new wing and then work from there." Wills set her down on her feet, so he could fish his mobile out of the pocket of his suit jacket.

"What's with the sudden longing for a toy, Pumpkin?" Ron joined them. "We've got a schedule to keep."

"Operation Plushy," Wills glanced up at him after choosing a number on his phone and hitting speed dial.

"Operation Plushy?" Rory also came to see what was up.

"She wishes to give all the children in the hospital plushies, so they can have something to cuddle when they get scared." Nancy was kneeling in front of Dani, who was eyeing the plush with a critical eye. "Do these pass muster in your eyes princess?"

"Yes, they'll do nicely." Dani examined a plush bear to see if it was to her liking and it was. "These are squishy which makes them perfect to snuggle with."

"We've hit a slight, but truly adorable delay, Luna. We'll be there in about twenty minutes. You'd best let Dromi and Henry take the tour." Ron used his mike that was nearly invisible to the naked eye to communicate with his wife.

"Yes, I heard all about Operation Plushy. Our Dani is such a wonderful little girl." Luna's sighed. "Henry, Dromi, and I are already starting the tour, so we shall see you in a bit."

"That she is my love." Ron chuckled as Dani personally set about choosing the plush that were worthy. "Uh, Big brother…"

Wills arched a brow at him, as he listened to the person on the other end of the line.

"Tiger make sure the plushy are all velvety soft, squishy, and adorable." Rory whispered in his ear. "She'll have nothing less than that."

"Hold on for a minute. I've got more details to add. The plushies must be velvety soft, squishy enough to snuggle with, and adorable." Wills chuckled, as he listened to the response to his request. "She'll take nothing less. Smashing my friend I knew I could count on you… I'll be happy to give Hamley's a glowing recommendation in all the papers and the media…Today... Evening at the latest…Splendid….I'll tell her. Good day to you as well."

"Well?" Ron and Rory asked.

"Since it's a blessing that this hospital isn't filled, each child should be receiving a bear or plush animal to cuddle by days end." Wills tucked his phone away.

"That's wonderful news, Dream." Rory kissed him.

"No that little wonder over there is what's wonderful." Wills pointed to Dani, who was happily chatting with Nancy.

"She's something special all right." Ron grinned.

--

Forty-five minutes later Rory, Wills, Dromi, and Henry officially dedicated the wing by cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

Dani was happily going from room to room handing out the plush. She happened across a private room, lit up with sunshine, with a sad girl about her age with sunny blonde hair quietly doing something on a notebook computer. "Hello. I'm Dani. Would you like some company?" She asked timidly.

The little girl glanced up at her having every intent of telling her to leave, but then saw that this visitor was a royal, so she shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "If you want to, your highness, but I'm feeling very tired this morning."

"It's Dani. I promise I won't overstay my welcome." She walked into the room filled with beautiful flower arrangements, plush toys, and happy looking arrangements of balloons. "I thought you might like this." She held up a hot-pink teddy bear dressed in a matching tutu, leotard, and ballet slippers. She had instinctively known that this bear belonged with this little girl and had kept the best for her last stop.

The girl's aquamarine almond shaped eyes flashed with temper. "If Momma sent you here then you can leave. Nothing you say will make me change my mind."

"Um, no one sent me in here…" Dani's eyes widened surprised by her reaction to the bear. "I'm here with my Uncles and Aunts for the dedication of this new wing. You see the four of them are being all official and stuff while I'm giving out these plushies."

Dani was close enough now to see the girl was recovering from what had to have been a horrific accident. She had one leg in a colorful cast and her other leg was missing from just bellow the knee down. She didn't often instantly link with anyone other than members of the family and wasn't ready to see the vivid images that flashed through her mind. She saw the girl all dressed up in a ballet recital costume as she chatted excitedly with her mother a stunningly beautiful exotic looking brunette with her eyes. Then out of nowhere a truck hit the passenger side of the car…there was a flash of white-hot pain, then darkness, and then waking up here feeling angry at the world.

"That's kind of you to take pity on all of us sick pathetic kids. I've my fill of plushies, so you can just leave." The girl growled coolly.

"Were you scared?" Dani took a seat beside her bed. "No, that's silly of me, of course you were scared. I mean who wouldn't have been."

"Excuse me?" She blinked at her in surprise.

"I'd have been terrified if it was me and then I'd have emotionally closed down and sulked. I'd have been furious with the fates for doing this to me." Dani cuddled the bear in her arms. "In my case I'd have done much more than sulk…"

"Sorry…"

"My Grandma and Grandpa Granger nearly ended up in an accident caused by a sloshed driver, but something distracted the git before he could hit them head on. I'm sorry it happened to you." She finished solemnly.

"How could you possibly know what happened to me…" The girl gapped openmouthed at her in shock.

"I…oh frazzle…it's just somethin that I can do." Dani bit down on her lower lip. "I'll leave now." She got up to leave.

"No wait…" The girl cried out in protest. "I'm sorry that I clawed at you like that. Please, I want you to stay."

"All right…I'll stay." Dani sat back down in the chair.

"I'm Daphne Delilah Cooper. I'm five and a half."

"I'm Danielle Stephanie Anastasia Pendragon. I'm still four, but I'll be five on August twenty-eighth."

"So, what did you do to get stuck tagging with your Aunts and Uncles doing royal appearances?" Daph asked curiously.

"I don't know how to control my temper and it tends to get me into trouble a lot." Dani answered truthfully.

"So you got in trouble for what exactly?"

"I stood up to a bunch of, um, bullies at my school instead of going to one of the teachers for help." She chose her words carefully as not to give anything away.

"You must have scared your parents." Daph continued to listen intently to what she was saying.

"Um, actually I kind of beat-up the bullies…" Dani stared down at the plushy in her lap.

"So, you really are the handful that all the papers and media claim you are." Daph smirked.

Dani rolled her eyes at her, but grinned. "I'm always up for adventure and will stand up to the bullies no matter what. This…" She wrinkled her nose, as she motioned to her dolled up form. "Is so not me. I like playing video games, gymnastics, football, going riding on our horses, playing in our tree house, taking self-defense lessons with my Uncle Kane, playing with my pets, riding my bike, and hanging with my Dad and Uncles. Where as my sisters are all into playing with dolls, dressing up, having tea parties, and stuff like that."

"You're quite the tomboy." Daph smirked.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just hopelessly flawed." Dani giggled. "I so don't fit the mold for a princess."

"I'm sort of like you, but I gave in to my mother's pleas and started taking ballet lessons..."

"Did you hate it?"

"I really thought that I was going to despise it, but found it challenging instead."

"Really?"

"Yes, truly challenging and until recently I didn't know that I'd grown to love it…" Daph grew sad again. "We were on our way to my recital…" She blinked back tears.

"I'm sorry that rotter hit your min-van and ruined your dreams…"

"It's much worse than that…" She burst into tears. "I've ruined a family tradition. There have been three generations of ballerinas and now…"

"You didn't ruin anything…I'll bet that your parents and family are just happy that you're alive." Dani's heart went out to her, but if the décor in her room meant anything then she was adored by many people. "Yes, you may not be able to dance again, at least not in toe shoes, but after your other leg heals you'll be able to get fitted for a prosthetic leg. They even use bionics in them now. You'll be able to walk and everything, but not if you just lie here and give up."

"Give me one reason to believe all of that?" She sniffled miserably.

"I'm gonna tell you a secret, but only if you promise to focus on getting better again." Dani surveyed the room. "Does this room have a camera in it? You know so the nurse's station can keep an eye on you?"

"Yes, it's up in that far corner. Why?"

"Drat I thought as much this is gonna be tricky." Dani scowled at the corner. "Does it have volume or is it just soundless video of your room?"

"I'm not sure."

"That settles that then. Please hand me your computer for a few minutes."

"All right..." Daph handed her the notebook computer.

"I'm doing this, because I want us to be best friends and because maybe knowing this will give you a reason to get better again." Her fingers raced across the keys as she typed a lengthy message for her to read, then added her personal information in Daph's address book before handing the computer back to its owner. "Oh sorry…I wasn't thinking again…I just assumed that you could read all of that…" She bit down on her lip as Daph read her message.

"Oh that's okay. I've been reading since I was three, so I can easily understand all of this. My Daddy is, Lord Timothy Cooper, a University professor at Oxford. He teaches physics." Daph looked up at her and then back at the message.

"Yep, you and I are gonna be the best of friends." Dani was beyond happy now. "I've been reading since I was barely two."

Daph stared at her and then back at the computer screen three times. "Well, that definitely gives me a good reason to believe everything that you said…Wow it's all real and you're their daughter…"

"Get better and I'll personally introduce you to all of them…get better soon and I might even be able to get you to sit in the box with me while my Dad, Aunt, and Uncles play for the cup again." Dani nodded.

"Okay, but only if you do something for me," Daph countered.

"Sure just name it."

"I'd really like it if you started taking ballet classes."

"You've got yourself a deal. You get better and I'll try my hand…no it's feet at ballet. Mum will probably faint when I ask her, but then I love a good challenge." Dani offered her hand out to her, so they could shake on it.

"It helps when playing sports too." Daph took her hand in her own and they sealed the deal.

"Hey, Little Bit, we've got to go." Wills walked into the room.

"Okay Uncle Wills." Dani smiled up at him then focused on Daph. "I've got to go now, but I put my personal information in your address book, so we can stay in touch."

"I'll send you an e-mail tonight." Daph smiled back. "Thanks for the bear, Dani..."

"Smile princess." A stealthy photog snapped a few shots of her handing Daphne the bear.

"Could you please send my Uncle Wills a copy of that?" Dani asked the photog.

"Yes and me as well," Daphne echoed.

"Uh, sure your highness…" The man was caught off guard. "If you'd like, I'll take another one of the two of you."

"Yes please." They smiled.

He took some more shots of them. "There ya go ladies. I'll send the prince the copies and he can make sure that you two get them."

"Just send them by messenger to my press secretaries office." Wills told the photog as he was leaving.

"Yeah, sure thing your highness..." The man left while he still had a chance.

"So are we ready to go?" Rory walked into the room and kissed Wills on the cheek.

"Dani's just saying good-bye to her new friend." Wills put his arm around her waist. "Miss…?"

"Um, I'm Daphne Delilah Cooper, your highness." Daph blushed shyly.

"I've met your mother. She's an amazing dancer…" Rory bit down on her lip cursing herself for her slip of the tongue. "Oh how stupid of me…"

"No that's all right, your highness. She's a beautiful dancer as was my Grams and Great-Grams. I just have to change tradition and be great at something else." Daphne winked at Dani.

"With determination like that I've no doubt that you can do anything that you set your mind to." Wills smiled warmly at her.

"Yes, she's gonna be amazing." Dani agreed.

"Well, in that case you'd better get well soon, so you can enjoy either a piece of wedding cake or birthday cake at Sanctuary." Rory found herself instantly liking this girl.

"There you three are. Ron's on a schedule trip today, so he's getting antsy." Henry looked into the room.

"He can wait. It looks as though our Dani's found a kindred spirit." She walked over to the other side of the bed. "Hello I'm Dromi."

"This is Daphne Delilah Cooper. Daphne, my Uncle Wills, Uncle Henry, Aunt Rory, and Aunt Dromi." Dani formally introduced them to one another. "But then you know that because they're famous and everything."

"Hello, your highnesses."

Dromi took in all the little girl's injuries and her heart ached for her. The loss of part of a leg was irreplaceable, but her other leg could easily be mended.

"How are you feeling?" She brushed her hand against her brow instantly gauging her condition. Her leg was broken, but not put back together with barbaric screws and plates. This was indeed fantastic news and she devised a plan in her mind that would excel her body's ability to heal itself. "Are you thirsty?"

Daph nodded. "I'm feeling better now that I've met Dani."

"She's a very special little girl." Dromi poured her a glass of water then changed the water into a tasteless potion that would mend her broken limb. "Water is good for you, so you need to drink as much of it as possible." She handed her the cup.

"Thank you," Daph took the cup and didn't stop drinking until the potion was completely gone.

"You're very welcome." Dromi smiled.

"I hate to break up this budding friendship, but we've got a full day yet." Ron cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Relax little brother we're almost ready." Henry rolled his eyes at him.

Wills mobile rang. He took it out and flipped it open to see who was calling. It was his Grams. "Good morning Gran. No nothings wrong. Dani befriended one of the little girls at the hospital. Lady Delilah Cooper's daughter… Yes, she's a lovely little girl. That's right you heard correctly Dani arranged to have bears given to all the sick children. She called it Operation Plushy. Yes, I know the dedication ceremonies at Olympic Park are priority. We'll be on our way in a few minutes. I'll see you later this afternoon. Love you too, Grams. Bye."

"Sorry to cut this short, but Daphne is scheduled for new scans on her leg." An orderly dressed in colorful scrubs arrived with a wheelchair.

"E-mail me tonight." Dani gave her a hug as soon as the orderly had gotten her settled in the chair.

"I will and remember your promise." Daph hugged her back.

"I won't." Dani watched as he wheeled her out of the room.

"Life can be really cruel sometimes." She let Henry pick her up.

"I know munchkin, but she's got you now that's a huge plus in her life." Henry and the others entered the corridor.

"Lot good it does with all this video stuff everywhere." Dani pouted.

"I have my ways around things like that. She'll be able to walk in no less than a day with the help of crutches." Dromi whispered in her ear.

Dani beamed happily at her Aunt. "You're the best Aunt Dromi."

"I see anything broken and I do my best to try to heal it." Dromi smiled back.

--

Chapter Five

Worst Nightmare

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	5. Worst Nightmare

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 5

Worst Nightmare

--

A parents or any adult's worst nightmare occurs…

--

Olympic Park, Stratford City UK

"Are ya sure we can pull somethin as big as this off?" Jarvis Louche a tall lanky bloke with a nervous twitch in one eye frowned at his brother.

"If you half-wits follow my plan to the letter then yes Jarv we can easily pull this off." Levin a balding stocky little man with beady brown, nearly black, eyes and a pug nose narrowed his eyes at his younger siblings.

"Yeah, but taking the kid of a future King? I mean ain't it a huge risk?" Jasper gave the airs that he was tough as nails and looked the part. He was of average height, but he had the I-mean-business black as midnight eyes, and the muscle to back it up. When truth be told the man was a bloody coward, as yellow as they come, and he had this god-awful fear of magic. "Her lot is deep into all that hocus-pocus…"

"How many times do we have to go through this Jasper? Magic is nothing, but smoke and mirrors, slide of hand, and timing. It doesn't exist. It's a myth. She's as normal as any four-year-old brat and is going to get us so much dosh that we'll never have to steal or want for anything again." Levin kept his temper in check with his brother, but barely.

"Or get us locked up for the next fifty or so years…" Jarvis muttered under his breath.

"What was that Jarvis?" Levin's eyes narrowed to slits making it a point to show him that he was so deadly serious about this that he was going to be packing a gun.

"Nothin Lev…" He was one that didn't like guns. "I ain't gonna shoot anyone or no toddler."

"It's just for show so relax." He put the firearm in the shoulder holster and put back on his work jacket. "We ain't gonna hurt our little meal ticket."

"I'm with Jarv on this Lev. No killin' or I'm out." Jasper growled.

"Look you idiots. I ain't killin' anyone. Now button it." Levin grabbed Jaspers hard hat and shoved it none too gently onto his head. "I've got the tour they'll be giving the royals memorized. We'll grab the princess during the prince's speech. Now let's go. We've got work to do."

The three of them had been working as construction workers. So they easily blended in with the surroundings and were able to bypass security by flashing their badges to a workfellow, who just assumed that they were returning from their break.

--

Wills and the others toured the various venues that were nearing completion never once letting go of Dani's hand. There were too many people milling about the Olympic Park. Security was having a bang up time trying to control the unexpected crowd that had crashed the official dedication of the newly completed Aquatics Centre, Velopark, and Hockey Centre venues. The stadium itself and Olympic village were beginning to take shape and the buzz was all over London.

"I don't like this. We should have dropped you with Grams." Wills, had an eerie feeling deep down in his gut that something was a foot, as they neared the stage area that had been set up in front of the Aquatics Centre.

"If you must know I was tempted to go swimming, but they hadn't yet finished filling the pools." Dani winked at her Uncle.

"Wills is right. Something doesn't feel right." Henry surveyed the area, but it was impossible to zero anyone out.

"Now Tiger…" Rory kissed his cheek. "Kings, Angelina, and Mac are here too. She'll be fine."

"There's also the constabulary, MI 5 and 6, and we can't leave out our own Royal watchdogs the Men in Grey." Dromi kissed Henry's cheek. "Rory's right, she'll be fine."

"Call it paranoia, call it gut instinct, or whatever you wish. Something isn't right here." Wills picked her up in his arms, as if protecting her from some unknown threat.

"Stop it with the doom and gloom already. I'm fine. You know very well that you can't hold me while you're giving your ubber important speech." Dani gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

"Wanna bet." Wills grumbled softly.

"We'll take turns. I'll hold you while he's giving his speech and then he'll hold you when I'm giving mine." Henry was in full agreement.

"I'm almost five. Why would anyone wanna target me?"

"You're a princess of the crown which means little one that you were born a potential target and events like this one tend to bring out the criminal geniuses." Wills told her.

"Anyone dumb enough to try wouldn't last a day. I'd have my fun with them and then…"

"Dani I'm not kidding around this is serious."

"So am I, because the instant an event like that happens, my magic is restored to me and they wouldn't stand a chance." Dani met his glare with one of her own. "I was nice to Wallace and the others. I wouldn't be nice to any would-be captures."

"Would you two please stop already? Nothing is going to happen. Now the sooner you two give your speeches the sooner we can leave." Rory had heard enough.

"Let's get this over with. The sooner we leave the better I will feel." Wills walked briskly up to the stage and the three of them had to play catch-up.

--

Dani was thirsty and longingly eyed the backstage area where two men were snagging food off the refreshments laid out for the official guests. Her aunts had been called up to join them in the official ceremony and she had been ordered to sit there and not move. The thing was that she could easily sneak away for a second, get her that bottle of juice, and then return to her seat before anyone missed her.

Her Aunt Luna and Uncle Ron had stepped away from the stage area, so they could chat on their Blackberry's. Her Uncle Mac was skulking around the back of the audience. Her Aunt Angelina was checking out a possible disturbance at the train station, and Uncle Kingsley was currently focused on Wills more than he was focused on her.

She was convinced that getting a drink wasn't a criminal offense, so she stealthfully left the stage and made a mad dash for the refreshments.

She was just about to reach for a bottle of refreshing juice, when someone came up from behind her and placed something over her mouth then everything went black.

--

Wills instinctively felt that something was off and all thought of finishing his all-important speech vanished. He turned around to check on Dani, but she wasn't there and all that was left on her chair was her sunbonnet.

"Excuse me for a moment my soon-to-be niece is playing a bit of a prank on me…Danielle Stephanie Anastasia I am not amused. I wish for you to come out of hiding where I can see you." Wills impatient growl echoed around them, but no Dani appeared.

"Dani you've had your fun now please show yourself." Rory tried herself, but still no Dani.

Henry knew that Dani would have appeared by now, so he walked over to the chair that had her sunbonnet sitting on it. He picked it up in his hands and a note fell out of it and landed at his feet. His blood ran cold as he picked up the note and read it.

_We have the princess._

_We will contact you with our demands within the next hour._

"Is something the matter?" Dromi walked over to him.

Henry was so mad that he was shaking. "Someone took Dani…" He bit out coldly through teeth clenched in leashed rage.

"All the fucking security in the goddamned UK and beyond and someone took our niece!!" He thrust the note at her. "Heads will roll for this one!"

The guests and onlookers gathered for the event couldn't help, but overhear the conversations that were going on up on the stage. The press and media rushed the stage, but were held back by the officers that had been told to surround the stage.

"If everyone would please remain calm," Colonel Dagwood Smitty took the podium. "From this moment the Olympic Park is on lockdown as are all of its exits and entrances. There is no going in or out without first going through a security checkpoint. No press will be allowed near the Royal family. All feed that has been received by your camerapersons will be turned in to the officers standing in front of this podium, so we can use that to aid in our investigation of the apparent abduction of Princess Danielle Pendragon. Cooperate in full and you will be allowed to return to your scheduled day. Refuse and you will find yourselves being subject to arrest. All information about the case will be done with press conferences at New Scotland Yard. This impromptu press conference is over."

Dromi had read the note three times and still was in a state of disbelief. "We have to get her back…"

"Next time I'm going to listen to my gut and just blow off the official appearance!" Wills took the note from Dromi's hand and read it.

"Harry's gonna kill us with his bare hands. There won't be a next time."

"No Henry. He's going to kill whoever took Dani." Rory corrected him.

"Your highness, I need the note and her sunbonnet. We're going to review the feed of all the cameras that were locked on the stage and should have them made within the hour. Meantime we need to get the four of you back to the Palace." Smitty walked over to the four of them.

"Sir, we found this by the refreshment area." A Lt. came up to Smitty with a white cloth in an evidence bag. "It appears as though the kidnappers used chloroform to subdue her."

"SON OF A BITCH! HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN! WHY CAN'T YOU FIND THEM!? THEY CAN'T HAVE JUST MAGICALLY DISAPPEARED!?" Wills barked at Smitty.

"If we're dealing with professionals and I am assuming that we are then they would have had countless escape routes planned…" Smitty scowled.

"I'M GONNA PERSONALLY TEAR THEM IN HALF!" Mac had been covering the front and was beyond furious of this snafu.

"SOME GIT WAS THROWING A FIT AT STRATFORD INTERNATIONAL STATION AND KINGS SENT ME TO CHECK IT OUT!" Angelina was furious the git at the station was in on the kidnapping.

"A group of yobs crashed the opening of Digital Fantasia and they had to cancel it because of them letting off stink and smoke bombs. Hey, is something going on?" Ron walked over to the group. "Where's the munchkin?"

"Yes, where's Dani? I was checking in with Mum and missed most of the speech…Did something happen to Dani?" She clung to Ron's arm in fright.

"DANI'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!" Wills bit out. "SOME UNCLE I TURNED OUT TO BE!"

"Whoever they were had to have been pro's." Kings walked up to them. "They created a distraction at the station, which made us focus on Wills. It gave them more than enough time to get to Dani."

"Harry and Hermione are gonna tear the Muggle world apart." Ron swore under his breath. "Hell the whole family will."

"We are going to handle this situation by the book. I need you to go back to Buckingham Palace and wait for them to make their demands." Smitty ended their chat.

"I have to contact Harry and Hermione. It may as well be at Buckingham." Wills grumbled he hated being helpless.

"Look Major Wales...sorry about that… your royal highness you can't do anything here, but we can if you let us do our jobs. Time is critical in situations like this. Now please cooperate with us on this matter.

"I want her back."

"You'll have her back. Just let us do our jobs."

--

Sanctuary

"Daddy…Mummy I can't feel Dani!" Ally raced up the terrace steps and over to her parents.

"Something's wrong with Dani!" Mia raced out of the patio doors and over to them.

Harry and Hermione had also felt that something had happened to their daughter.

"If something happened to Dani then believe me when I tell you that I will make it better and she will be fine." Harry cuddled Ally in his lap.

"I don't like this one bit. The four of us should still be able to sense her." Hermione fought off the urge to panic. "That must mean that her mind is sleeping."

"Mia those three men took her. Just like our dreams." Ally whimpered.

"Calm yourselves. There's no need to wake your brothers." Harry was fighting back his own urge to panic. Suddenly his plan to let fate run its course didn't seem right anymore. "Now tell us about what you both dreamed about your sister."

"Dani's with our Uncles and Aunts at the new Olympic Park and it happens while Uncle Wills is giving his speech, so all eyes are on him. She's thirsty, so she goes to get something to drink, a man dressed like one of the construction crew puts this cloth over her mouth, and she goes limp in the mans arms. There are two of them and they put her in something, a rucksack I think, and then walk away and join with another." Ally murmured shakily.

"In my dream she woke up in a musty smelling room with one door that's locked from the outside, so she can't leave. She's not panicking, because her bracelet is gone and her magic has been fully restored to her. There's this large circular window. I guess it reminds me of an old clock facing and it's facing a river. It's really noisy. I think this flat is above a pub of some sort. She's also muttering to herself that she's grounded for life this time." Mia summed up her dream. "Will that help you find her?"

"I don't know baby and won't until she wakes up and I can get a proper measure on her condition. I will tell you two this though. Dani will be home in bed by her scheduled bedtime and those three men will rue the day they decided to target your sister." Harry hugged Ally close.

"If Dani's magic is indeed back in full then those three don't stand a chance against her." Hermione kissed the top of Mia's head.

Peeves was circling the tree house. "_Dani! Dani! Peeves wants ta Play!_"

"Peeves come over here. I've a mission for you." Harry got up from the lounge walked over to the edge of the terrace and called over at him.

Peeves appeared in front of him minus his usual foul smelling purple hazy smoke. "_Not now Royal Snotty! Peeves is wantin ta play with Dani!_" He crossed his shocking violet eyes at him and stuck out his tongue.

"Dani's in danger. She can't play. Someone took her away from us." Hermione got right to the point.

"_Dani taken away! __Peeves find her!_" He vanished from sight.

"Brilliant thinking Daddy… He'll probably go and enlist The Bloody Baron's help." Ally kissed his cheek.

"The Baron's been sulking for years, since Slytherin House was dissolved, and he and Peeves were forced into retirement dark way wise." Harry didn't doubt for a second that Peeves would go enlist the one he idolized more than anything 'Your Bloodiness' as he preferred to call him. "I would think that he would jump at the chance to really let loose on someone, besides he adores Dani as much as Peeves does."

The outside line rang, caller ID said that it was Wills, so Hermione put the caller on speaker. "I heard about the incident at the Digital Fantasia opening, so is Dani enjoying her pizza or is she digging into her sundae now?"

"Hermione…" She could hear the emotion as Wills cleared his voice to steel himself enough to be able to get out what he needed to say. "…God I can't believe I'm saying this…" His voice broke.

"Spit it out big brother…" Harry sat down beside Hermione. "Is something wrong you sound upset about something? Did something happen to Dani?"

"Something happened while I was giving my spin about the Olympic Park and the 2012 games…"

"What's wrong William and what does it have to do with my baby?" Hermione bristled.

"Dani's gone…" was the only thing that Wills managed to get out.

"Gone? William start making some sense. Gone where?" Harry snapped irritably.

"Ok here goes…" Henry took over explaining, because Wills was having a breakdown in the palace. "We don't know all the details as of yet, but at least two maybe three unidentified men posing as journeyman abducted Dani. It happened when she left the stage during Wills speech to get a glass of juice from the refreshment table set out in the back staging area."

"You're both dead men walking! I hope Beatrice is ready to assume the throne as Queen, because if my daughter is damaged in anyway or not safely here at home in bed by her set bedtime I'm gonna delete the two of you from existence!" Harry his tone lethally soft; to not awaken his sons vented his fury on them.

Dark clouds were forming as their emotions triggered a summer storm.

"We're gonna get her back…"

"You're damned right you are! I want my baby in my arms by dinner or I won't be held accountable for my actions! I trusted you to keep her safe and you beyond bungled it up!" Hermione let them have it.

"Where are you?" Harry wasn't going to have Hermione have to deal with the boy's first taste of a storm, so he calmed his emotions.

"We're at Buckingham waiting for them to contact us with their demands." Henry answered.

"Did you even think of checking the map? What the hell were Kingsley and the others doing napping?!" Harry snapped out questions through teeth clenched in fury.

"We've tried three maps a hundred times and she doesn't show up. Her magic must be still off-line. The fact is that they underestimated the size of the crowd and the security forces as a whole were overwhelmed. We're gonna get her back." Wills composed himself enough to speak again.

"No big brothers! I'll get her back and gods help the three men when I get my hands on them!" Harry ended the call.

"It's clear the only one that's going to get Dani back is me." Harry turned to look at his wife. "Dreams are one thing, but it's another thing altogether when that dream becomes a reality."

"I know what you mean, but I also know that you'll get her back for us and that everything is going to be fine." Hermione kissed him. "Go get our daughter the five of us will be fine."

"I'll be a few hours at the most…"

The family converged on the manor as various family members appeared on the terrace.

"She's going to be fine." Was the first thing out of Ginny's mouth as she cuddled DJ protectively in her arms.

"We're going to fix this mess and she's going to fine." Draco was far from pleased with the current situation. "I knew that I shouldn't have taken the day off."

"Draco no one could have known…"

Lily stepped out on the terrace with Izzy in her arms. "I should call your father?"

"Mum I don't have time for…" Harry began, but Draco interrupted him.

"All of them would want to know what's up." Draco nodded in complete agreement amazed at how in control Harry, Hermione, and the girls were about all of this.

"Why can't I feel Dani?" DJ sniffled.

"She's, um, sleeping in her Uncles arms right now." Hermione answered softly.

"Look everyone until I know all the details…" Harry was impatient to leave.

"We came as soon as Kings contacted me about the situation." Kane and Lotus with nearly two-year-old Mai in her arms arrived.

"Kings contacted you?"

"Son, I know that you're upset about this, but in situations like this a clear head is best." James arrived with Sirius, and Logan.

"Prongs, he looks levelheaded to me." Sirius was floored by how calm Harry and Hermione appeared.

"Odds are that he already had his meltdown before we got here." Logan glanced skyward at the developing storm brewing above.

Harry focused on Hermione and his girls. "Now ladies I want you to look after your baby brothers and your Mother. Can you do that for me?" He gave each of them a hug.

"Just bring back Dani." They whimpered.

"I will babies and that's a promise." Harry growled hoarsely, as he let them go, so he could pull Hermione into his arms. "I'll get her back, angel mine. You'll have her back by bedtime." He promised as she kissed him.

"I'll hold you to that…" Hermione blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Hermione you must be frantic with worry." Jenna, Gene, and more family converged on them.

"I'm needed at Buckingham…" Harry focused on all of them. "Everyone keep watch over them for me." That said he vanished.

"You were saying Padfoot?" James growled.

"He's focused not upset." Logan frowned.

"He's the next Merlin. It's possible that he had prior knowledge of the event that has come to pass." Kane growled softly.

"I assure you Kane that dreams rarely become a reality as clear as this one and both of us are in shock." Hermione's eyes flared with temper. "I would think that you, Draco, Uncle Sirius, Logan, and Dad would want to aid in getting my baby back."

"And on that note we'll be back in a few hours with Dani safe and sound." The men in question vanished.

"I'm sorry…" She burst into tears.

"Oh honey, we know that you're going out of your mind with worry." Lily sat down and pulled her into her arms. "Just lean on all of us…"

--

Dani awoke in a drab musty room. Her head ached, her mouth was bone-dry, and she felt sick to her tummy. She gingerly sat up and tried to get her bearings. It was noisy because of what she assumed was a pub on the main floor of the building that she was in.

The room smelled of dust, and pub ambience. She rubbed her arms as gooseflesh raced up them.

It was finally dawning on her that all of this was not just some awful bad dream. _Someone had kidnapped her. She could be anywhere. If only she had her magic. _

She absently ran her fingers over her right wrist, but the bracelet was gone. Her first instinct was to leave this dust mite infested room and port to her daddy, but then the ones that had taken her wouldn't be brought to justice. So she began to devise a plan for their demise.

"First things first I'm thirsty." A glass of water instantly appeared in her hand which she gratefully drank dry. "Yes, that's much better…now to see what I have to work with and who my abductors are."

She quietly got off what barely resembled a bed and padded over to the door. "Locked no surprise there, but I can still use the keyhole to spy on those who took me."

There were three of them congregating in the Common Room of the flat.

Goon number one, whom she dubbed tough guy, was pacing the threadbare throw rug thrown over a scared hardwood floor. Another taller lanky one was peering through the blinds that covered the window. The third baldy one was sitting on an old ugly green couch that had seen better days, typing on his state of the art computer, and was wearing a shoulder holster.

"So, Baldy must be the brains of this operation and might be a problem because he's got a gun. Tough guy is a fraud you can tell by the way he's pacing, Lanky is paranoid, so no threat there." Dani went to sit back on the bed and began to take inventory of her room.

There was the thing that barely past for a bed, one large sealed shut circular window that at one time may have been the facing of an old clock. She looked out and saw that this place was located on the riverfront. No bathroom to be found, and one barren closet that could barely hold a broom. The only plus to the room was the whisper quite ceiling fan that circulated the air in the room.

The three men were on edge and snarling at one another, so she decided to sit quietly and listen.

Peeves and The Bloody Baron appeared in the room.

Dani put her finger to her lips and pointed to the door.

The two ghosts nodded in acknowledgment.

"Can the two of you go like invisible?" She whispered.

They nodded.

"Good because you boys are gonna get to finally let loose and have some fun." She winked at them.

The Bloody Baron actually cracked a smile and Peeves gave her the thumbs up.

--

"Hurry up Levin and send them the demands." Jarvis was getting antsy.

"It's been two hours ain't you finished yet?" Jasper grumbled.

"Button it you morons!" Levin narrowed his eyes at his brothers. "I'll do the thinking around here. The longer they wait the more likely we'll be getting in the end. That being fifteen million in unmarked untraceable bills and then they'll get their precious brat back. We'll collect all the dosh and then when we're well and truly on our way on a plane to the Caribbean, give them the address of this flat.

"No more foul English weather for us." Jasper smirked.

"I wanna go ta Rio." Jarvis sulked.

"And we will baby brother. Now button it while I send them our demands." Levin snarled.

Jarvis walked over to the closed bedroom door. "Do ya suppose she's awake yet?"

"Nah, she'd be howling if she were." Jasper smirked.

"I know Jarvis why don't you look in the peephole that I installed and see for yourself." Levin was nearing the end of his patience.

"She's sittin' on the bed, but she ain't cryin." Jarvis frowned.

"No kidding Jarv like we can't hear that already." Jasper rolled his eyes at his brother.

"Shut up Jasper maybe somethin's wrong with her." He turned to glare at his older brother.

"She's fine." Lev wasn't in the mood for them to snipe at each other.

"Hey, you three in there! I will have you know that even prison inmates get fed! I'm hungry!" Dani got off the bed and glared at the door.

"Pipe down brat, you'll get fed." Levin clenched his teeth. "Jarvis go fetch the brat a sandwich and some crisps from downstairs."

"Hey, I'm thirsty too!" She whined.

"And a soda." He bit out.

Jarvis left the flat.

"My friends Peeves and the Baron want one too."

"Sorry brat. We only feed real blokes not imaginary ones." Jasper snickered, as he sat down in a battered old arm chair to watch the only modern thing besides the computer in the flat a Telly.

Dani focused on Levin and Jasper, causing the two of them to come down with a minor case of the hives. "You're a meanie!"

"Yeah, us bad lot usually are." Jasper turned up the volume on the Telly and absently scratched at his neck.

"Our demands have been sent." Levin scratched at his sleeve. "Now we wait while they gather up and then deliver our loot to the assigned location."

"Peeves and Baron are mad at you." Dani whined. "And you don't want a grouchy pirate mad at you or a vindictive poltergeist either."

"The kid's got a very active imagination." Jasper laughed.

"She's almost five they normally do." Lev focused on his computer screen. "This is the last time Josie does the wash…" He scratched at his leg. "She put in way too much starch…"

"You gettin all scratchy too…I thought it was just me." Jasper fidgeted in his chair.

The lights in the flat flickered on and off three times, the Telly screen had interference as well.

"Told ya they were mad," Dani watched them through the keyhole. "Peeves and Baron are not the nicest of ghosts."

Books went flying off the table, as if someone had forcibly pushed them off. The taps in the bathroom all came on and the bulb in the ceiling fan blew.

Jasper, being very superstitious, all but jumped in terror out of his chair. The can of beer that he had just opened was ripped out of his hand and flung against the far wall splattering beer everywhere. "Blimey Levin! They really are bloody ghosts!"

"There's no such thing as ghosts. Now watch your Telly!" Levin turned on the light beside the sofa and it blew as well. "It's just a case of nerves, and faulty old wiring and plumbing." He got up to go turn off the taps and was pushed forcibly into the bathroom.

"That's what you think." Dani giggled when the two of them came to rejoin her.

--

Buckingham Palace

"It's been nearly three hours!" Harry paced the lush carpeting of Wills private offices. "Why won't they tell us what the bloody hell they want?"

"Son, she's going to be fine." James placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Nothing in you says otherwise, so go with those feelings."

Wills glared at the phone and his computer screen willing at least one of them to do something. "Finally…" Wills snarled when a message appeared on his e-mail and he clicked it.

"The three of them are in London or were when they sent it ten minutes ago." Smitty had run a trace and narrowed it down to east of the city meaning the three had not ventured to far from where they took Dani.

"They want Rory to bring fifteen million in untraceable bills by 3pm and place it in a locker on Pier 9 across from Slip 12 and absolutely no Coppers. Follow it to the letter and we contact you at 4pm with the location of the princess." Harry read the demands out loud and swore in fluent Parseltounge, when he saw the enclosed streaming video of his daughter sleeping on something that barely past for a bed.

"They have a locker and location all set up, meaning they've been planning this for a while." Sirius felt like punching a hole through the elegant silk wallpaper of Wills office.

"Those bastards are bally." Logan swore under his breath.

"RORY IS WHO THEY WANT TO MAKE THE FRIGGIN DROP?! GODDAMN IT!! FIND HER BEFORE THEN OR I'M GONNA BRING BACK PUBLIC EXECUTIONS STARTING WITH YOUR HEAD!" Wills glared murderously at Smitty.

Rory ignored Wills and focused on Harry. "It's been two hours her magic must be back in full by now. Harry should be able to find her map or no map."

Harry stopped pacing and went over to sit in a Chippendale armchair, only to get back up glare at the chair, and conjure a more comfortable one himself. He then closed his eyes, relaxed his mind, and focused on his daughter.

"She's by the riverfront above what has to be a pub. Yeah, it sounds like a pub. She's locked up in a small bedroom, if you can call it that, eating fish and chips." Harry focused on Dani. "Jarvis brought her lunch. Jasper looks tough as nails, but is a bloody coward. Levin the brains of the three of them is also the one armed. She's fine. P and B are having fun tormenting them. Her room has a large circular window, reminds me of what might have once been the facing of an old clock."

Smitty wrote all of what he was relaying to them down. "We'll get the money together, but this is more than enough for us to zero out their location. Who exactly are P and B?"

"P is Peeves and B is the Bloody Baron." Draco translated for Harry.

"Correct baby brother. She's jinxed two of them already, but they think it was something in wash." Harry smirked.

"Can't she just use her magic to come to you?" Wills and Henry frowned.

"Yes, but she wants them caught, so they won't be able to do this to anyone again." Harry opened his eyes and let out a huge sigh of relief. "You won't need to collect the money. I'll handle this personally."

"We're a team son and we stay that way. Now use the map, so we can zero in on her location, and then devise a plan." James handed him the map.

"That's brilliant thinking daddy." Dromi hugged him.

Harry went through the motions to activate the map and sure enough it gave him a better idea about where she was down to the layout of the building itself. "The building is called The Leaky Barrel. She's upstairs in the top flat. Peeves and The Baron are in the room with her. No surprise there Aunt Di is tormenting them in the other room."

"Mum would not be pleased that they took her, so yeah I can see her haunting them into insanity." Wills smirked.

"We've got more than enough to safely get your daughter back. I'll need you to go in there and stealthfully get her out, and then we'll arrest the kidnappers." Smitty devised a plan.

--

The Leaky Barrel

Dani grinned mischievously at Peeves. "Okay now I want you to make an appearance and be as loud and annoying as possible."

"_Peeves can do that._" Peeves lived for tormenting the muggles. "_I'll make the uggles wet themselves._"

"Baron, would it be too much of a bother to ask you to go down to the Pub and wreak havoc?"

The Bloody Baron took off his chapeau and bowed to her. "_It will be my pleasure._" His voice was soft, lethal, and barely audible. Replacing his chapeau he vanished from the room.

"Now Peeves feel free to be absolutely horrid to them and if possible try to get the balding one to…No. I'll see if I can get that myself." She focused on getting Levin's gun and it appeared in her hand. "Hey, it worked. Okay Peeves feel free to do your worst to them."

Peeves a wicked grin on his chartreuse green face, his shocking violet eyes lit up with malicious mischief, phased right through the door cackling at the top of his lungs in his annoying tone. "_Peeves no like uggles!_" He caused all the lightbulbs in the room to shatter. "_Specially uggles who's takes Dani!_"

"CHRIST LORD IT'S A…A…A GHOST!" Jasper nearly wet himself he was so afraid of this demon like thing flying around the flat.

Screams and shouts came from downstairs followed by loud crashes of glass and ominous banging sounds.

"LEVIN!! THAT'S A FRIGGIN GHOST!!" Jarvis nearly had an accident when Peeves went right through him and then phased into the laptop sitting on the scared coffee table in front of Levin.

The result was sparks flying everywhere and the complete loss of a very expensive computer.

Peeves crossed his eyes at Levin and blew him a raspberry before vanishing in a flash of brilliant green light and purple green smoke the reeked of rotten eggs. He reappeared on top of the Telly proceeded to once again blow a raspberry at Jasper before he phased down into the Telly causing it to go tilt as well.

"My Great-niece is not to be harmed or taken by felons like you!" Di appeared in the center of the room.

Books rose, as if invisible strings were being pulled by some clever puppeteer, and flew at the three men while an invisible gust of wind blew everything about.

"IT'S THE BLOOMIN GHOST OF PRINCESS DI!" Jasper shot out of his chair and ran into the bathroom to hide.

Jarvis was being chased around the room by Peeves, who kept throwing things at him. "STILL THINK THE BRAT WAS LYING OH BRILLIANT ONE!?"

Lev having had more than enough of this chaos reached for the gun in his shoulder holster only to find that it wasn't there. "SON OF A FRIGGIN BITCH! MY BLOOMIN GUN HAS BLOODY WELL VANISHED INTO FRIGGIN THIN AIR!"

"HELP!!" Jasper screamed in terror. "THERE'S A PSYCHOPATHIC PIRATE WITH BLOOD ALL OVER HIM IN HERE AND I CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR!!"

"Oh, boys, are my friends giving you a proper hello?" Dani called out sweetly.

"Call em off you brat!!" Levin snarled.

"Yeah, enough already!!" Jarvis yelped when Peeves lifted him off the floor by his shirt and then threw him into a wall.

The door to the bedroom opened and Dani was standing in the doorway and pointing the gun at them. "My Daddy is Harry Potter and my Momma is Hermione Granger. That's Peeves the poltergeist and the one in the bathroom that might very well end your brother is The Bloody Baron. The three of you are all about to come down with the worst rashes and pustules of your lives!! I've got an even better idea! You two can kiss the ceiling while we wait for my Daddy and the authorities to arrive!"

The two men went flying face first into the cracked plaster ceiling. To their horror were now pinned there by some invisible force. Their skin was on fire due to the jinxing that Dani had cast on their sorry hides.

"You men messed with the wrong princess and that door over there had better lead to a potty or you'll be sporting donkey ears and a tail to match!" She pointed at the door and it flew open with a loud bang.

"How the hell did you get free?" Jasper managed to get out before he too was kissing the ceiling.

"I humored the three of you long enough. Now it's time for me to go home and you three to go to prison." She found herself in front of Peeves, The Baron, and Diana.

"You three watch them, while I use the potty." She marched into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. "_Scourgify_! Don't you ever clean up in here!? This is beyond gross!" She added even more of a jinx to the mix.

"You felons are going to go away for a very longtime, but that's only if Harry let's you live to go to trial." Di glared up at them.

"I myself am undecided about that at the moment." Harry his eyes blazing with furry stalked from the bedroom.

The two of them gaped at him in terror and Levin glared defiantly down at him.

"WHERE THE HELL IS MY DAUGHTER?! TALK OR YOU'LL WISH THAT YOU WERE NEVER BORN!!" He roared up at the ceiling stunning the three men until they went limp from the pain.

"I'm in the potty daddy, but I'll be finished in a minute!" Dani called from the bathroom.

For the first time in his life Harry heard the lethally quite voice of The Bloody Baron and it sent a chill down his spine.

"_Shall I dispatch the three of them to the depths of hell, my liege_?" The Baron wielded his bloody sword.

"_Peeves make uggles pay too_!" Peeves continued to float just inches bellow the four men.

"We surrender! Just don't kill us!" Jasper and Jarvis cried out like babies. Their skin was on fire with what had to be some fatal magic disease and the furious man below them was surely gonna kill them or have one of the ghosts do the deed for him. "It was all Levin's big idea!"

"Button it you babies!" Levin snarled. "The prince is a goody-goody and ain't gonna kill anyone!"

"All of you button it!" Harry used _Silencio_ on the three of them. "You'd be surprised what one can live through!" Harry lost his temper and cast _Crucio_ on them.

The three men screamed as if they were being torn apart.

"Harry, I know that you are upset. Dani shouldn't see this kind of magic and you will only scold yourself later for losing your temper and casting a dark curse." Di stood beside him.

"I'm just giving them a taste of what would have happened to them had they did anything to my daughter." Harry released them from the spell and the three men went limp.

"All finished Daddy. I used magic to get his smelly old gun and even washed it in the sink." Dani emerged from the bathroom and raced into her father's arms.

Harry hugged her fiercely. "Are you okay baby?" He set her down on her feet, so he could check her over. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine Daddy. They had me locked up in that room for a bit, but then I had to go to the potty. Peeves, the Baron, and Aunt Di kept me safe. Can we go home now? I don't like this place." She chattered at her father a habit that she turned to when she was tired, scared, or nervous. "Next time I go anywhere I'm staying put in my chair." She cuddled against his shoulder and settled off to take a nap.

"Daddy has to signal the cavalry first, but then we can go. Poor baby you've had a really rough day out." Harry kissed the top of her head, as he walked over to the window to open the blinds, and then the window.

"Is Dani okay?!" The family members who were obediently following orders caught sight of Dani in Harry's arms and panicked.

"She's fine, but there are three men up here that are more than willing to surrender." He called down to the forces that were springing into action bellow.

"Well done your highness!" Smitty called up to him.

"Actually, it was a team effort and all I got were the leftovers." Harry shouted back. He then turned around to salute the three ghosts standing behind him. "Well done you three. I'll take it from here."

The three of them vanished.

--

Safely back in the wizarding limo a while later.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight when you're out with us again." Wills cuddled Dani on his lap.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble, but I got thirsty…" Dani whimpered.

"Oh, sweetie, no one blames you for any of this." Rory crooned down at her and kissed the top of her head.

"You my little shadow are four, nearly five, where as the ones that I entrusted you too today are all grown up. If anyone is to blame, it's the ones who went off to call home, take a call about the Digital Fantasia situation, checked out a disturbance, and so forth." Harry felt his temper beginning to boil again. _Hell no, he wasn't blaming Dani! He was blaming everyone else that was supposed to be watching her! _

"Regardless of her limitless intelligence or her tendency to act older than her years, she's a little girl. You set her in a chair near the back of the stage with two committee members and left her there with strangers." Harry's tone was a cold as glacial ice and he narrowed his eyes at Wills, Henry, Rory, and Dromi. "None of you are even close to being ready to be parents of twins by next spring! My god you left Dani by herself, knowing damn well that something wasn't right about the whole situation!"

"Daddy it's okay. Don't blame them. I'm fine." Dani tried to prevent the storm brewing in the limo and the tempest brewing outside. She had rarely seen that look in her father's eyes and wanted both to go away.

Her daddy on the other hand had other ideas and let them have it with some beyond harsh words. "Okay! Okay! NO Danielle it is not okay that you were NOBBLED under their very NOSES!! It is not OKAY that they didn't see to your NEEDS before they went to dedicate the FRICKIN Olympic Park venues!!"

"Harry calm down…" James growled softly.

"SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BESIDE ONE OF THEM AT ALL TIMES! IF NOT THEM THEN RON, LUNA, ANGELINA, MAC, OR KINGSLEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON HER!!" Harry completely lost his temper and the storm let loose outside. "THOSE MEN COULD HAVE BEEN WHITE SLAVERS!! CHILD MOLESTERS!! OR GOD FORBID SERIAL KILLERS!! INSTEAD OF THE GREEDY BASTARDS THAT ONLY WANTED A SHIT LOAD OF DOSH!! IF YOU ARE THIS CLUELESS WITH SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE, THEN GOD HELP EVERYONE WHEN YOU ASSUME THE THRONE AS THE NEW KING!!"

"Harry they get it…" Draco had known that he had been holding back, but this must be like being flayed alive with words to the four sitting across from them.

"I DON'T REALLY GIVE A FUCK IF THEY GET IT OR NOT!! I'VE WASHED MY HANDS OF ALL OF THEM!! NOW GIVE ME MY KID WILLIAM THE TWO OF US ARE LEAVING!!" Harry's words cut deep, but he was too far gone to care.

"You hate all of them because I didn't listen!" Dani burst into tears.

"Danielle, what I'm doing is taking a time-out from them until I can lose the urge that I have to flay them all alive for neglecting you!" Harry took her from Wills. "I trusted you!! Don't think that I will again for a very longtime!"

He situated her in his arms, so he could port the two of them home, but she pulled away from him.

"I'VE RUINED EVERYTHING, BECAUSE I DIDN'T LISTEN AND STAY PUT IN MY CHAIR!" Dani screamed up at him tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You aren't the issue here Dani their actions are..."

"I dreamed it! For two days I've dreamed what happened to me today and didn't say anything to anyone! Not even my sisters! I didn't see exactly how they took me, but I knew of it!" Dani sobbed miserably.

"Dani…"

"NO! You let me finish!" She glared up at her father through a veil of tears still flowing like rivers down her flushed cheeks. "When Uncle Wills and Uncle Henry got all paranoid at the Park…that's when I should have said something, but then any hope of seeing Digital Fantasia would have been a memory. So, I pushed aside all the things in my dreams that were beginning to come true and focused on that instead. Daddy, please don't disown them all, because of my stupid error in good judgment, and my longing to get my hands on the controller of a Nintendo Strata. I'm fine no harm no foul…" Her big green eyes pleaded with his to understand and forgive them.

Harry's red haze cleared and he resigned himself to agree to her plea-bargain on her Aunt's and Uncle's behalves. "You're absolutely right sweetheart. No one was really in the right today. Your mum and I had a funny feeling and pushed it aside as well…I'm sorry…"

"No Harry, you're right. We screwed up. It was a learning experience for everyone involved and just to be on the safe side..." Wills took out a slim velvet box from his jacket pocket. "They're making these for each of the younger royals," He opened the box and inside was a platinum ID bracelet with two jewel inlayed hummingbirds flanking her name inscribed in the center of the metal. "Your official sign is 'hummingbird' because you can't stay still for two seconds. They used a muggle-born jeweler, so this will be able to grow as you do. You will never be able to get lost from us again, because embedded inside this fancy trinket is a satellite tracker."

"Oh, goody a leash…" Dani reluctantly let him put it on her wrist.

"It's a safety net." James corrected.

"Oh, gee thanks Grandpa, I feel loads better knowing that." Dani pouted as Wills and her father's phones rang. "That would be Nana Elizabeth and Mummy calling for an update on little ole me."

Wills took out his phone sure enough it was his Gram. "Nice guess, Little Bit." He winked at her then answered the call.

"Hello, my love…Yes, she's fine…I was just about to call you...Yeah, had to get my tantrum over with first." He chuckled. "Sure. Here she is…" Harry handed the phone to Dani.

"Hi Mummy. Yes, I'm fine. The Baron, Peeves, and Great-aunt Diana all kept an eye on me and terrorized my captors. Um, yes I got them a few times before Daddy arrived. I had to go potty and so I joined in the attack. Yes, mummy I carried on the family tradition and gave them what for. I quadruple jinxed them, pinned them to the ceiling, and then let Peeves and the others watch 'em for me while I used the potty. Which was disgusting, but I Scourgified it….men can be such slobs." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Then daddy arrived to get me. Yes, he was very put out with the three badies. I think he even used _Crucio_ on them, but I'm not sure. They sure did scream bloody murder though…Oh and yes he was also very cross with the others, but I set him straight."

Harry kissed the top of her head.

"A call from a Daphne Cooper… Oh, this is not good at all…" Dani bit down on her lower lip. "She'll worry…I've gotta go tell her that I'm okay…I gotta go bye Mummy!" Dani vanished from his arms in a flash of aquamarine and gold light.

"Dan." Henry rapped on the glass and it vanished.

"Problems?" Dan asked.

"Dani went to visit her new friend at the Children's Hospital." Dromi explained.

"Right then we're heading back to London." Dan was never shook by anything and headed them back towards London.

"Uh…Grams…" Wills prayed to the powers that be for patience. "I'm gonna have to call you back…Why? No reason she's chatting with Hermione on Harry's phone…Lying to you? Whatever made you think that…my tone changed? Very well, Grams, I'll tell you the truth. Dani left the limo to check on Lord Timothy and Lady Delilah Cooper's daughter Daphne…Evidently she called Sanctuary. Yes, Grams she's a very lovely little girl. Oh, yes, her gift is back in full…Yes, Grams she's got quite a tale to tell you. I'll see if I can arrange it, but she'll be chatting with you in a bit. I'll tell them. Love you too. Bye Grams." He ended the call.

"So who's Daphne?" The ones who were still out of the loop wanted to know.

"She's Dani's new best friend." Henry grinned.

"They met this morning at the hospital. Daphne is recovering from a severe car accident that nearly costed her both her legs. A drunk driver hit her mother's minivan." Dromi filled in more of the blanks.

"She's five and a half, as bright as our Dani, and you might say a kindred spirit of sorts." Rory smiled.

"Did Dani tell her about our world?" Draco arched a brow at them.

"She had all but given up on getting better, but Dani changed all that by listening to her and giving her a sympathetic shoulder to vent on. By telling her that magic is real, she gave her a reason to believe again." Wills smiled.

"Daphne comes from a line of prima ballerina's stretching back three generations."

"Poor baby. She probably felt that she was letting everyone down." James hoped the driver was six feet under or in worse shape. "How bad are her injuries?"

"She lost the bottom half of her left leg and her right one is broken. I repaired the breaks in the right leg and the infection on her left with a cleverly disguised potion. It was all I could do to help her left leg heal…I only wish I could do more." Dromi felt miserable for what fate had gave on the little girl.

"We'll see to it that she gets fitted with the latest in artificial limb technology. That's as soon as the doctors say she's ready for it." Henry cuddled Dromi close.

"We forgot to say that Dani arranged for all the little ones to each receive a bear or plush of the highest quality to cuddle, so they wouldn't be afraid." Rory smiled.

"That's my baby." Harry smiled, as he ended the call with Hermione. "Yes, angel, I'll call you as soon as we're on our way again. Love you."

"Yes. Operation Plushy was a complete success." Wills phone rang and he answered it. "Yes, Colonel, I'm aware that Dani's gone to the Children's Hospital. No don't call out the troops. We'll handle it from here. Yes, it's nice knowing that your gadget is working flawlessly. I'll tell you as soon as we're on our way home. Good Evening Colonel..."

"For once the muggle versions of our Auror division have gotten something right." Logan grinned.

"Miracles do happen." Kane smirked.

--

Chapter six

Do you believe in magic?

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	6. Do you believe in magic

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 6

Do you believe in magic?

--

Dani appeared in the bathroom of Daphne's private hospital room. She could hear Daph's parents talking to her in gentle soothing tones, so she cracked the door open just enough to peer inside.

"You've had quite the eventful day." Timothy Cooper, a late twenty something, handsome man, with gentle blue eyes and golden blonde hair, smiled at his little girl. "You need to settle down and get your rest."

"Daddy, I just want to know that Dani is really okay and then I'll get some rest."

"We know that you and the Princess Dani bonded this morning, but Princess Hermione assured you the princess was fine and that she would have her call you tomorrow." Delilah Cooper patted her hand reassuringly.

_Oh, I think I can do better than that, but I have to make sure that no one can listen in or see me first. _ Dani thought.

She focused on two bouquets of balloons and sent them silently floating over to the corner of the room to conveniently cover the all intrusive video camera. That done she focused on closing the door to the room. _Perfect...now to gauge her parents reactions to my subtle bits of magic._

"That's anomalous." Her father frowned. "There's no draft in this room."

"Darling, not everything has to have a scientific reason. Doors are partial to closing on their own or perhaps Daphne's guarding angel is checking in on her." She winked at her daughter. "Then again a curious fairy lured by all of these beautiful flowers and colorful balloons might have been the cause."

"Magic is very real Daddy, one just has to believe to see it." Daphne winked back.

"Well, dearest ladies of my life when I finally see it…" His voice trailed off when the flowers that had begun to wilt sprang back to life in the arrangement on the bedside table. "How in the name of science is that even possible?" He picked up the vase to get a better look at the flowers. They were perfect again. He set them back down on the table and raked his fingers through his hair.

"Science really has nothing to do with it, but then again I guess in a way it does. What you just saw is possible do to magic and a family legacy that stretches to the beginning of time or so my Many-Great-Grandpa Merlin has said." Dani opened the door so they could see her. Timothy nearly fell backward in his chair, but Lilah just seem pleasantly surprised if not amused. "By even doing this I'm breaking like a ton of Wizarding World bylaws, but it was necessary, so Daph could see that I was okay."

Dani eyed Lord Cooper warily, not really sure what he was going to do next. She was relieved to see that Daph was giggling and that her mother seemed amused and not put out by her sudden appearance.

"My right leg is all better. The doctors are declaring it's a miracle, because it's like it was never broken. My other leg had an infection that I haven't been able to fight off and it's healed so much so I don't even have a scar. That's not even the best news. I can walk on my own with crutches and as soon as the doctors make the arrangements I'm to be fitted with a state of the art artificial leg." Daph scooted over on her bed and made a spot for her to sit. "Don't just stand there silly, come sit down by me. Um, are you gonna be in trouble for coming to see me like this?"

Dani raced over and sat down beside her. "Nah, my Aunts and Uncles know where I went and Daddy will understand after they explain everything to him. Then again this." She pointed to the bracelet on her wrist. "Will be able to clue them all in. It's my official leash."

"Leash?" Timothy arched a brow at her. "As in a tracking device?"

"Um yes…Hello" She nodded and smiled shyly at them. "I'm Dani Pendragon, daughter of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger…"

Ferria appeared at Dani's feet in a brilliant flash of harmless fire. She walked up to Dani, lovingly rubbed her cheek against her arm, before delivering her letter by dropping it in her lap, and then vanished the same way that she came leaving her calling card a single magenta feather.

"Great-Grandpa Stephen must be borrowing Ferria again." Dani stared down at the thick letter in her lap.

"Was that a…a…a…"

"Darling, I believe the word that you are searching for is Phoenix and yes I believe it was." She kissed his cheek.

"Then all of it isn't just fiction and fantasy?" He tried to take it all in, but his mind was on information overload.

"No quite the opposite, my Uncle and Great-Grandpa saw that magic was nearly extinct in the Muggle world and sought to correct that by Aunt Jo's best-selling books on my Daddy's adventures at Hogwarts." Dani stared forlornly at the thick letter in her lap. "I'm still on magical restriction …I just know it."

"This explains why that side of the royal family is so private…" Timothy finally found his voice again. "I'd take precautions too if I were protecting a legacy from a world that if they discovered their existence would want to dissect it."

--

"Oh, they could try." Harry walked out of the shadows beside the bed. "But they wouldn't get very far. Hello Lord & Lady Cooper and Lady Daphne. I've come to collect my daughter." He smiled warmly at them and then reached over to take the letter and the feather from his daughter. "I see that Gramps borrowed Ferria again."

Dani nodded.

"Relax, baby, it's just the nondisclosure agreement and nothing more." He broke the seal on the letter and read the enclosed note inside. "Gramps and Grams are relieved that you're safe and back with us. He wishes to make it easier for the two of you to see each other. He's enclosed the nondisclosure agreement thereby giving the Cooper family full access to the Wizarding World." He silently read the rest of the letter and then arched a brow at Timothy. "Lord Cooper…"

"Please, your highness, call me Tim. I never go by my title."

"Yes and please call me Lilah."

"I don't like using my title either, so call me Harry. My grandfather brings something up in the letter and I'm just curious if you were ever aware of any of it."

"Aware of what exactly?" Tim arched a brow at him.

"Were you by chance ever sent a letter with an invitation for Daphne to attend a school for gifted children when she turned three?" Harry inquired.

"Daddy?" Dani frowned at him. "What are you getting at?"

"The accident was bad was it not?" Harry was blunt and to the point.

"It was a miracle that Daphne survived." Lilah nodded.

"I don't understand what a prank letter has to do with any of this. I've never heard of the G.G./ R.R./ or H.H. Nursery/Primary Schools for gifted children. Since one of them was found in Godric's Hollow, South Wales. I assumed that someone was sending me a prank letter and tossed it away without a second thought." He shrugged his shoulders, as if this were no big deal.

"My younger brother and sister, younger cousins, and daughters all attend Godric Gryffindor Nursery/ Primary School for Gifted Children. It's one of three schools named after the founders of Hogwarts. You see RR is short for Rowena Ravenclaw and HH is short for Helga Hufflepuff. They are educational institutions of the highest caliber focusing on both muggle educational needs as well as the Wizarding. It's where those gifted in magic or those from magical families whose children are squibs, of magic origin, but unable to do magic, go to school. The old way of classifying was calling one full-blood, half-blood, muggle-born, or Squib. In cases of squibs where Hogwarts is not a possibility the kids are allowed to continue their muggle education and remain very much a part of the Wizarding community."

"Oh, how delightful," Delilah clasped her hands together in delight. "Three generations and finally magic is back in our family again."

"Lilah you never told me that you're family were decedents of witches and wizards." Tim stared at her in disbelief.

"There wasn't a point to dearest. Magic hasn't been in my family for three generations, so anything that I know about the Wizarding World are just stories that I thought were past down from generation to generation. This is a delightful surprise our baby girl is a witchling." She got up and pulled her daughter into her arms for a hug.

"Because of this a letter was sent inviting her to attend one of the schools." Harry walked over to Tim. "You hold a doctorate in Physics do you not?"

"Yes, that's right." Tim nodded. "It's one of several doctorates that I earned."

"Well, then why don't you think about this for the time being while I explain about my world?" Harry conjured a ball of turquoise blue and gold flame and set it in his hand, then walked back over to his daughter.

"This is physically impossible…my hand should be burning…" Tim examined the ball of fire with a scientific eye.

"So, you believe that being born with the gift of magic is what saved our baby from dying in the accident?" Lilah cuddled her daughter close to her.

"That's correct. You see it's difficult for us to die in car accidents, fires, and well to be frank the list is long. There isn't a lot that can kill us. The offer for her to attend Dani's school still stands." The nondisclosure letters and two quills floated over to each of them. "You'll need to read over those and then sign where told."

"Darling, you were just offered the Head of the Physics department at the University in Cardiff." Lilah signed the agreement and it vanished with the quill in her hand. "It must be fate."

"Cardiff is only a forty-five minute drive from Godric's Hollow." Dani figured the distance in her head.

"That's very good calculating young lady." Tim smiled at her.

Dani smiled at her father. "I take after my parents."

Tim finished reading the agreement then signed the letter where said. It too vanished as did the quill. The flame that he had been holding was harmlessly sitting on the arm of his chair and he picked it back up in his hands. "This is all absolutely fascinating. I had already decided that I was going to take the new position in Cardiff as soon as Daphne was well enough to travel. I was waiting to spring it on her until she was stronger, but now I know that she won't mind moving to the other side of the UK. Especially, if we were to somehow by chance find a place in or near Godric's Hollow."

"I've never fit in with everyone at my current school, but at Dani's school I'm certain that I'd be happy there." Daphne beamed excitedly at her father and the bear on her nightstand started to dance around on it. "Oh! Did I do that?" She clapped her hands excitedly as the bear danced over onto her lap.

"It's hard to control magic when you're excited or really upset. So, yeah, you just did that." Dani nodded. "I didn't do the flowers either that was all you."

"This is so cool." Daphne was happier than she'd been for a very longtime.

"Harry, you'll have to refer me to an estate agent, so Lilah and I can begin the search for our new home." Tim was going to enjoy exploring the world of magic and was looking forward to it.

"You two just focus on getting her better." Harry focused on the fire in Tim's hand and it turned into one of his business cards. "If you wish to chat with me, my dad, mum, or Hermione all you have to do is run your finger over it three times and my contact information will appear on it. Now as for a place for you to live, I can solve that problem as well. I've got an east wing at home that's currently vacant. Dani and I would love it if you would stay with us, while you go about finding a place, or while your place is being built."

"We couldn't possibly impose…"

"I insist on it. Besides, in our world houses, depending on the size, are completed in mere months not an entire year. Sanctuary our manor, which isn't small by any means, was built within the span of nearly four months." Harry chuckled when Tim and Lilah both gaped at them in disbelief. "It's true. My cousin Marcus Edwards and his wife Addison are both brilliant architects."

Marcus's card appeared in Lilah's hand.

"Give him a ring in the morning and he'll set you up with a location, design it, and have you moved in by September first. Tell him that I referred you to him and he'll give you a great deal." Harry noticed that Daphne wasn't wearing a cast on her leg. "I see my big sister's healing touch did you wonders this morning."

"Are you talking about Daphne's miraculous healing today?" Lilah stared at him in surprise.

"Dromi is a Healer of the highest order and Rory, she's like Dad and I, an Auror of the highest rank. Our medical technology might be ancient in origin, but it's far beyond that of the muggle world. She used a cleverly disguised potion to help speed along Daphne's healing."

"She poured me a glass of water from my pitcher and that was just before I was taken to have new scans of my leg done." Her face lit up with delight. "I like your medicine much better than getting poked with needles and stuff."

"Our world has ways of mending what's broken, but like this world we lack the ability to mend a limb if it is lost. Though, on the brighter side of things, our world has provided through my foundation, cures for HIV, Cancer, and countless other diseases that ravage the young and old on this planet. Michael James Evans was my cousin. He died in my arms at eleven of bone cancer the day before Christmas during my seventh year. After that I vowed the Pendragon Foundation for Children's Welfare would focus on finding cures for all the diseases plaguing the children of the world like HIV, cancer, and others. Not only that, but would help orphans who had lost their families, and kids from broken or abusive homes. I used my half of the empire that Jo's created, using my name, to make a difference in the world."

--

"Now, now little brother none of that... Our foundation has done miracles for this world and this new wing is just one of thousands that have come to be because we care about the people and not the bottom line." Wills stood in the doorway with James.

"Forgive Junior. He's had a rough day and he's barely running on five hours of sleep." James smiled at them all. "Hermione called and is getting itchy to hold her baby in her arms again and her sisters are antsy as well. Sorry about that I'm James Pendragon that one over there is my oldest son."

"I hadn't thought about what Princess Hermione must be going through." Lilah was cuddling Dani in her arms. "I wouldn't be settled again until I held my baby in my arms."

"Grams is feeling the same way about talking to the midget over there and I can only stall for so long." Wills smirked.

"I guess I gotta go." Dani sighed.

"Yeah, but you can visit me here a lot, when I get out of hospital we'll get to see each other all the time." Daphne nodded.

"Up you go angel." James walked over and held out his arms. "I want to cuddle you for a while."

"Give me a ring in the morning and I'll arrange to have Draco give you a tour of Diagon Alley, then get you set up with a vault at Gringotts." Harry yawned then grinned sheepishly. "Yes. I'm sleep deprived, but then my one-week-old son's are worth a little loss of sleep."

"Draco's my second youngest son and his son DJ is pining to see Dani as well." James chuckled.

"I'll do that have a safe drive home." Tim got up to see them out into the hall.

"Yes please drive carefully." Lilah echoed.

"Oh, don't worry we will. Dan Shunpike is an excellent driver and wizarding transportation is one hundred percent safer than muggle." Harry smiled at them. "Daphne you can keep Ferria's feather and when you come to Sanctuary Dani can introduce you to her and if you're lucky Fawkes will be there trying to woo himself back into her good graces."

"Daddy?" Dani yawned.

"Yes baby."

"Can I come see Daph tomorrow?"

"We'll see what tomorrow brings." Harry answered.

"Night, Dani."

"Night, Daphne." Dani waved good-bye as the four of them vanished as quietly as they had come.

--

Chapter 7

Career Decisions

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	7. Career Decisions

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter7

Career Decisions

--

They arrived home and found themselves greeted by everyone as they pulled into the drive.

"Wake up sweetie. We're home." Harry whispered in Dani's ear, but she snuggled further into the blanket that he had wrapped her in.

"She's most likely out for the night." James was glad to be home.

The limo doors opened and DJ, Ally, Mia, Julie, and Izzy tried to squeeze past him.

"She's sleeping, which is where you four should be. It's way past your bedtimes." Draco easily blocked them from entering the Limo.

"We just wanna see her." Mia and Ally pouted.

"Yeah Daddy, I wanna make sure she's okay." DJ growled.

"We were worried." Izzy bit down on her lip.

"Really worried," Julie pouted.

Harry easily slipped past the five of them and Hermione was there to carefully pluck Dani from his arms. "See, angel mine. She's tuckered out, but other than that she's fine." Harry yawned. "She's not the only one who's beat. How are the boys?"

"Diapered, fed, and blissfully asleep in their bassinettes," Hermione wasn't about to let Dani go anytime soon.

"James. Remus wants you to know that everything's fine at the campsite. Bastion, Alan, Sean, and Donnie arrived with Seamus, Dean, and Cedric this afternoon. So you, Sirius, and Logan can stick around here tonight." Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Where's Bree? I half expected her to be fussing over Dani?" Harry glanced around.

"She was right behind us…" Ginny scooped up DJ before he could go over and pester Hermione.

"She's just enjoying being home." Jenna cuddled her daughter in her arms.

"Remus says her and young Clearwater are quite the item, so she might be trying to see if she can tell him good night." Sirius smirked.

"Binky is enamored with Finnigan, so much so Dad's on edge." Logan chuckled. "Poor kid probably wanted to bolt when he saw dad at the campsite."

"Bastion is besotted over Moria and Alan is over the moon for Ami." Bree walked down the front path and over to them. She was quite the beauty and weeks from turning seventeen.

"Hello gorgeous." Harry gave her a hug. "Are you ready to start shadowing Marcus and Addison again this summer?"

"Hello yourself big brother," Bree hugged him back. "I'm planning to do just that. Donnie still has his heart set on becoming an Auror, so he'll most likely be hanging around all of you this summer."

"Don't worry doll-face I'll keep him busy." Kane cuddle Mai in one arm and his lotus blossom in the other.

"So will I." Draco grinned.

"Count me in." Logan was snuggling with Thea.

"I'll see what he's learned all year." Harry now had Ally and Mia cuddled in his arms.

"He easily passed his Apparation test in May and he's been practicing Kane's teachings all year. In fact all the boys have." Bree peaked under the blanket to look in on Dani. "She's one tough little cookie." She looked over at Harry "Where are Wills, Rory, Henry, and Dromi?"

"We had to drop them off at Windsor Castle." Harry answered softly. "Dani got to talk to Aunt Elizabeth before she drifted to sleep and she requested a full report from Wills. Mostly he worries about her. They all do. She may be eighty-four, but she's in perfect health. I guess Dani's kidnapping upset her enough, so they had to make her go lie down. She won't admit it, but she loves it when all of them fuss over her."

"Momma…" Dani blinked open sleepy lids to look up at her. "Can you hold me tonight while I sleep?" She rubbed at her eyes with her fists and looked around. "We're still outside?" She yawned hugely.

Everyone chuckled in amusement.

"Yes, I know my darling girl. You see all of you just arrived home and we came out to greet you." Hermione cuddled her closer. "And I'd like nothing better in the world than to hold you in my arms while you sleep tonight." She kissed her on the top of her head. "I'm so happy that those men didn't hurt you…" She had been strong all-day and was emotionally spent so tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"All they really wanted was money…" Dani yawned sleepily. "They were pathetic creatures, but never once tried to hurt me. I on the other hand wasn't your typical four-year-old and my imaginary friends were very real."

"Peeves and The Bloody Baron kept them too busy to even think of harming you and Aunt Di wouldn't allow it." Harry elaborated on her chattering.

"I'll bet those four are wishing they had never taken Dani." Bree smirked.

"Daddy was so mad that I think he cast _Crucio_ on them, but I'm not sure..." Dani babbled sleepily.

"Those four are lucky it wasn't AK." Harry growled.

"The gits deserved what they got." Ron and Luna arrived.

"The twins wanted to camp too, so Dad took them up to the campsite." Luna walked over to check on Dani.

"I'm happy that all of you are worried about me, but all I really want is to get this yucky pub smell off me and then sleep till noon." Dani wrinkled her nose as she sniffed at her hair.

"Ok baby I think that can be arranged." Harry chuckled.

--

(A few weeks later)

Sabrina Granger paced the executive office floors of Marcus and Addison's company Enchanted Construction and Design Inc. After spending two weeks helping with the remodel of the manor and the East wing, she was more than happy to be back to apprenticing under Marcus and Addison's watchful eyes.

"You wish me to design what?" Her golden amber eyes stared at him in disbelief.

"I want you to come up with four entirely different designs for the Cooper's to browse over this Friday when they arrive at Sanctuary." Marcus calmly echoed word for word what he had told her not ten minutes before.

"Compared to yours and Addison's… My designs are pedestrian..." Bree nervously nibbled on her fingernail.

Marcus set down his light pen; he used it to create his designs on a special high-tech drawing board, which was linked wirelessly to his computer. "Harry and Hermione sent me copies of your latest brainstorms none of which I can assure you are anything remotely pedestrian."

Bree blushed crimson not knowing if she wanted to thank or hurt her big sister and brother-in-law. She'd wanted to show him herself, but no matter he liked them, and that was all that mattered. "How thoughtful of them…"

"Your proposal to build magic schools in all the major wizarding countries is brilliant and your designs mirroring each nationality are outstanding." Marcus remained patient with her. "So four designs for the Cooper's, should be a walk in the park for you." He steepled his fingers together and waited for her next round of but I can't's.

"It was a long boring winter and I like doodling wishful fantasies when I'm bored." Bree wasn't yet confident in her work. "You probably only let me hang around during the summer because I'm family."

"Oh, yes, that's right. I'm just humoring everyone and have been since you sent me your first doodle." He tapped his finger to his chin. "What was that again? Yeah, the new Quidditch Park for the kids that wish to dream big. Where was that again? Hmm…that's right here in Godric's Hollow. It's even got Floo network fireplaces for easy access and is equipped with anti-muggle detection devices, so to muggles it looks like an ordinary village park. I proposed it to the council and low and behold it has come to be the hot spot for kids during the summer or breaks from school. You were what fourteen when you doodled that one?" Marcus pointed his light pen towards her workstation. "Do I need to go on?"

Bree reluctantly went to her workstation and sat down in front of her own high-tech drawing board. "The boys wanted a place to play and you refined it into a proper design…"

"Sabrina your name is under mine on the dedication plaque and on the finished design. You designed Hagrid and Olympe's new summer home, while I was out of the country most of last summer. Addy raved about it and my beautiful perfectionist other-half never raves unless the design is a true work of art."

"Yes, well, if it's not perfect then it won't do." Addison Edwards a raven haired, violet eyed, amazon glided into the office with the service for tea. "Darling, Uncle Stephen sent an Owl to you about the new international schools proposal that our Sabrina dreamed up. Evidently the Americas, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland, Africa, Japan, Asia, and Oceania are all on board and scouting for locations." Addy set the tea service down on the gleaming heirloom coffee table.

"Marcus it was a doodle! Not a proposal for the Wizarding or the International Council!" Bree buried her face in her hands.

"Darling girl, it was absolute brilliance and brilliance must be shared with those around you." Abby was all too aware of Bree's lack of confidence in her work.

"You don't understand..." Bree whimpered in protest. "It wasn't just me…"

"Yes, we know all about your mystery partner…"

"How could you possibly know…" Bree sputtered in surprise. "He's never…" She clapped her hand over her mouth when two sets of eyebrows arched at her.

"He?" Addy's vivid violet eyes lit up in triumph. "Marcus, my darling, you owe me a free weekend for a whole year."

"Addison Marie just because it's a male doesn't mean that it's Donavan. It could very well be Bastion, Sean or even…" Marcus shrugged his shoulders in defeat when Bree's peach and cream complexion flushed crimson at the mention of Donnie's name. "One weekend every other week for a year..."

"Deal," Addison poured the tea with a smug look on her lips. "One or two sugars in your tea, Bree?"

"Two and a lemon slice please. I'm doomed…" She whimpered. "Donnie is never going to speak to me again."

"Nonsense sweetie. My baby cousin has been drawing since he was in diapers. I recognized his work as soon as I saw the drawings." Addy patted the empty spot beside her. "Now do sit down for tea."

"He wishes to become an Auror, as do Sean and Alan. Bastion loves his animals, so his course is set. Moria shares his dream with him. Ami fancies being a Healer and Binky is torn from being a journalist, dragon keeper, or even a Healer." Bree sipped her tea and nibbled on a crumpet.

"All smashingly good career choices each one of them," Marcus sat down beside Addy.

"Somehow I think our Bree disagrees with you…" Addy thoughtfully sipped her tea. "I agree with Bree. Donnie is following his mates and by doing so is ignoring his true talent."

"Oh crumbs. I'm not that transparent am I?" Bree coughed out nearly swallowing her tea down the wrong pipe.

"Ladies. Donnie is a natural born athlete with a brilliant mind, strong magical abilities, and razor sharp reflexes. These are all admirable qualities if one wants to be an Auror. He's also a brilliant designer and artist, but the choice is his not ours." Marcus sipped his own tea. "A man entering life just out of Hogwarts needs to follow his own path."

"Oh, Falderal! He's just mortified that his best mates are going to snigger at him, because he loves to design beautiful things. You did the same thing Marcus." Addy rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, but I'm not the one in question here am I." Marcus chose a crumpet from the plate and bit into it.

"I can sketch like a master, but Donnie can bring something to life with chalks, oils, watercolors, and the like. I'm learning how, but it's as natural as breathing to him." Bree sighed longingly.

"Sabrina unless one has the passion for what they love to do it's just talent." Marcus countered.

"That's the thing that frustrates me so much." Bree scowled. "He does love it and secretly covets the praise that our ideas receive from everyone that get to enjoy them. The guys rave about the Quidditch Park. I mean to them it's as if it was designed by someone seeing things through their own eyes."

"And the Elf village was that yours and Donavan's brainstorm as well?" Addy smiled pleased that Bree was agreed with her on this matter.

"No that was my gift to Winky and Dobby, when baby Piper was born last fall. I was making sketches of various buildings in miniature just to hone my skills and she saw them. She loved them so much that I made a little fantasy village on my computer. Then made rendered drawings of how each would look if built in our world, framed them, and gave the set to Winky for Christmas." Bree was proud of that pet project. "How did you know about it?"

"Winky showed them to Hermione. Dobby showed them Harry. Who then showed them to me and I showed them to Addison."

"That's my baby..." Bree bristled at the idea that someone besides her was being given the project to build.

"Yes, sweetie, we know and it'll be your first big job. That's after you complete your final year at Hogwarts. It'll take the council at least year to haggle on a proper location, so you've plenty of time to research in detail your plans for the village." Addy laughed when Bree hugged her. "Don't hug me. Harry and Hermione insisted that this be your crowning achievement and Marcus and Stephen agreed. The elves were all for it too."

"See Bree you might not have confidence in your talent, but all of us haven't a doubt in the world that you're brilliant." Marcus winked at her.

"Very well, you win, but design is only a small part of this process. I have much to learn about engineering a project from the drawing board, to the building site, then overseeing construction, and finally seeing the completion of a project." Bree brushed a long strand of her hair behind her ear.

"This summer you'll get your feet wet with the Cooper's homestead. I've no doubt that your endless search for knowledge has allowed you to soak up all of those books that I gave you to read last term."

"Yes and Addison's stack of books, followed by the ones Harry and Hermione gave me for Christmas and my birthday last year. Everyone has encouraged my talent. Mummy and Daddy, Uncle James and Aunt Lily, Grandpa Paddy and Nana Mattie all loaded me up with stuff to read. I had stacks of books to soak up all sixth year. Donnie read them all too, claiming that he wanted to keep up on what his girl was hell-bent on learning to master." Bree went back to her workstation.

"And?" Marcus and Addison looked at her.

"He seemed fascinated by it all." She picked up her sketch pad and a pencil and flipped it open to a fresh page.

"The details on the project are loaded up on your Origami, and the computer in front of you. I also burned it on a disk. Our world is all new to them, but there are specifics that they wish to have for their home. There's a dance studio for Lady Delilah, who is a prima ballerina, perhaps a second building for that. Lord Timothy, holds a doctorate in physics, needs an area for his lab. Daphne will need her own place as well. She's just beginning to discover her magic. In short just let your mind flow over the endless possibilities and go from there." Marcus encouraged her and then he went back to working on the cottage for Elizabeth.

--

Sanctuary –East Wing

"Mummy, I know that I'm not a typical girl and stuff…" Dani watched her Mum direct the deliverers where she wished the items for the East Wings newly finished remodel to go.

On the first floor they had added a Common Room, Kitchen, study; ballet studio for Lilah, a lab area for Tim had been added in the cellar, and a lift to aid Daphne if she needed it. In fact they had added lifts for each area of the manor. The second floor had newly remolded suites. Magic was a wonderful asset when one needed something done on a time schedule.

"Dani no one is faulting you because you're a tomboy." Hermione checked the Common Room off her list. "This next lot is all for Daphne's room, so it all goes into the second upstairs bedroom." She told the deliverers. "It's the one with the fairytale theme."

The men nodded and continued up the stairs and Hermione followed them.

"Um, yeah I know, but I'd like to try to at least have a go at some girlish activities." Dani followed her up the stairs.

"Girlish activities?" Hermione scooped her up into her arms. "Whatever are you getting at? Girls ride horses and bicycles, climb trees, play football, video games, and even study self-defense. You're taking gymnastics twice a week and that's a girlish sport."

"I like tumbling and stuff and so do Ally, Mia, Aunt Izzy, and Julie." Dani watched as they pieced together Daph's room. "I was thinking of trying ballet."

"Dancing?" Hermione, her eyes lighting up with delight, kissed her on the nose. "I love to dance, so of course you can take ballet, piano, or whatever your hearts desire."

"Great-Gran is already teaching us piano on Saturday's, but I find the string instruments much more challenging. My favorite is the harp." Dani chattered happily.

"So, that's your little secret outing on Saturday's." Hermione hugged her close. "In that case you'll have to give us all a recital before school starts."

"Um, sure I guess." Dani watched as they unboxed two delicate lamps one with a fairytale castle theme, and the other with whimsical fairies. "Oh mummy she'll love this room to pieces."

"Dromi sat with her last week and asked her what her dream room would be like and I tried to fulfill her wishes. Since she's spent three long weeks learning to master her new leg, I want her to feel like she can be free to be herself again." Hermione paused to talk to one of the men. "The next batch is for the master bedroom…"

"Yes, your highness, we've got the layout Marcus faxed us and a detailed list of what goes where." The friendly deliverer tipped his cap to her.

"Well, in that case, Mr. Burgin, I'll leave you to it." Hermione smiled warmly.

"We won't disappoint." Mr. Burgin headed off to oversee the third lot of furniture.

"Mum the boys are fussing and Daddy's not having any luck soothing them." Dani whispered in her ear.

"Let's go see about your brothers." Hermione waited until the men had left the room before her and Dani vanished.

--

"Mummy is busy." Harry paced the bedroom carpet with a son in the crook of each arm howling at the top of their tiny lungs. "You're dry, fed, and burped. What's up with the two of you today?"

Jamie and Rafe glared up at him and continued to howl.

Harry set each of them down on the bed and conjured two pacifiers in his hands. "These will have to do boys…"

The pacifiers went flying out of his hands across the room and landed on the changing table.

Jamie and Rafe weren't in the mood for pacifiers and used magic to whisk them away with an angry wave of their fists.

Harry conjured two more pacifiers in his hand. They went flying to join the first pair of soothers. "Well then boys what do you want?" Harry frowned down at them.

:Wanna go up and down.: They growled in unison.

"You like the new lift that much, huh." Harry arched a brow at the two bundles on the duvet, dressed in sleepers of different shades of blue.

:Up and down.: They repeated.

"Boy's it's not a toy…"

:Go up and down, Dada.: They glared up at him.

"Very well, but only four times." Harry negotiated with his sons. "Then it's off to dreamland for the two of you."

:Six.:

"Four." He was firm on that detail.

:Five.:

"Four boys or I'll just put you back in your bassinettes and let you howl yourselves to sleep." Harry wasn't about to bend to their wishes.

:Ok dada four.: They grumbled.

"I thought the two of you would see things my way." Harry conjured a double baby sling and got them both settled in it.

"Are we having problems?" Hermione with Dani still cuddled in her arms appeared beside him.

"We negotiated a deal." Harry strode out of their rooms.

"Deal?" Hermione followed him.

"Rafe and Jamie love the lift. My guess is that Daddy agreed to a set number of rides." Dani surmised.

"You guessed right sweetie and that magic number is four." Harry stopped in front of a set of doors and entered a code on the panel beside it. The result was the panel lighting up and a moment later the doors to the lift opened.

"Did you try the pacifier?" Hermione conjured two in her hands and they went flying down the stairs.

"Not a fan of them and yes I tried it twice with the same results." Harry stepped inside the lift. "They personally requested the up and down or they refuse to settle down and this is far better than them being up sick all-night."

The doors slid shut.

--

"So, at this rate Daddy's gonna be missing practice again." Dani conjured herself an Everlasting Lolly and popped it in her mouth.

"Hermione sorry we're running late. Are the girls ready?" Harrison and Violet Evans called from the entryway.

"Oh frazzle. I forgot all about the three of you taking the Mensa test this afternoon." Hermione set Dani down and gave her a quick once-over.

"Relax Mummy. Why else would I be wearing this sundress and sandals? Ally and Mia are reading in the sunroom eagerly anticipating the challenge of the mind ahead of them. I just think I'll be bored to tears." Dani absently twirled a lengthy strand of her hair around her finger, as she headed down the stairs.

"Dani it took a lot of covert planning to arrange for the three of you to get tested."

"I know that I'm smart. Mia knows that she's smart and Ally thrives on being smart. Why do we need to undergo a battery of boring tests that will only tell us what we already know?" Dani turned around and headed back up the steps towards her mother.

"Once it's declared official then you'll be able to explore limitless…"

"Yeah, I know Mum more challenging educational goals and stuff…" Dani rolled her eyes at her.

"Danielle we're going to be late." Ally stood at the bottom of the stairs glaring up at her.

"I've been studying up for this for weeks." Mia's hazel eyes shined with excitement.

"That's because the two of us like being properly prepared for things of this nature and Danielle prefers to wing it." Ally snorted in disapproval.

"It's summer forgive me if I wish to go outside and have fun. Haven't the two of you ever heard of too much of a good thing? I for one wouldn't want a brainfart on test day, so I pace myself." Dani retorted smartly.

"That's quite enough girls. I'm sure the three of you will do smashingly on your tests." Violet smiled up at Hermione who was slowly descending the stairs. "Hermione dear you look beautiful today."

"Yes sweetie, you look radiant." Harrison also smiled up at her.

"Thank you Gran and Grandpa for the lovely compliments. Are you sure that you don't wish Harry or me to come along?" Hermione smiled warmly at them. "Not that it's necessary, because these three will be perfect angels. Won't you girls?" She gave them each a look.

"Yes mummy." They chimed.

The doors to the lift opened and outwalked Harry with two snoozing sons in his arms. "They were out on our third trip up…" He glanced down at his watch realizing the time.

"Hello, Gran, Grandpa, here for the girls already?" He smiled warmly at them.

"Time flies when you're tending to the little ones. Violet and I were wondering if we might take them for the day. Treat them to dinner out and a movie." Harrison could see that a little downtime from at least three of their children was needed.

"Yes, please can we Mummy and Daddy?" The girls pleaded up at their parents with both weapons at their disposal by pouting and blinking up at them with hopeful eyes.

"I don't see why not, but only if all of you are on your best behavior during your testing session." Harry's eyes were focused on Dani.

"Oh, come on already. I said I would isn't that enough for you people." Dani sniffed indignantly. "I'm the oldest, so I've got to set a good example and I will."

"Well, then in that case you three are free to spend the rest of the day with your great-grandparents." Hermione smiled down at them.

The three squealed in delight and hugged her.

"Yes, we love you too. Now scoot or you'll be late." Hermione hugged them back and then they were off, leaving the two of them with the house all to themselves.

--

"Dani wishes to take ballet lessons." Hermione casually broke that little bit of news to him before heading towards the East Wing.

"That's nice…" Harry started to say then finally what she'd just said dawned on him and he was perplexed. "Uh, say that again. I don't think I heard you correctly." He followed her with a beyond puzzled look on his face.

"Our daughter, that would be Dani, wishes to take ballet lessons." Hermione turned on her heel, folded her arms across her chest, and scowled at him when he gaped at her completely and utterly dumbfounded.

"Ballet…"

"Yes Harry. Ballet you know as in dancing."

"Dani…"

"Do you have a problem with her request?" Her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Uh, no…it's just kind of a shock that's all…" Harry took a step back from her pointing down at the baby sling. "Precious cargo here…"

"I loved to dance when I was her age. I took a myriad of dancing lessons…"

"Mione, I'm just surprised about her request that's all. She can try her hands or feet at anything her heart desires, within reason of course, but other than that the skies the limit." Harry back peddled in his thinking and hastily agreed with her before she banished him to the guestroom for a month.

"Is it so dreadful that she wishes to do something that I like to do?" Hermione pouted up at him adding tears to her arsenal.

"Oh no, sweetheart it's not dreadful at all. She's a little girl, the smaller vision of her mum." Harry crooned softly reaching out to brush away a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "If she wishes to play the harp or piano that's fine too."

"Grandma Anna is already teaching the girls to play music on Saturdays…" She sniffled. "Dani loves the string instruments...especially the harp."

"Well then we shall have well-rounded girls schooled in all fields of the arts." Harry pulled her to him careful not to wake the boys. "All that matters is that the three of them are happy and healthy girls."

:Mama.: Jamie blinked open his eyes.

:Up and down, mama.: Rafe yawned sleepily.

"Oh no, boys, it's back to dreamland for you." Hermione kissed their downy raven haired heads.

"Wanna bet?" Harry arched a brow at her.

:Up and Down! No sleep!: The boys growled and started to kick and fuss.

"No its bedtime," Hermione remained firm.

The boys howled in protest.

Harry wisely said nothing.

"The lift is not a toy. The answer is no." She conjured two pacifiers and stuck them in their mouths.

They glared angrily up at her.

"You heard your mother, boys, now you've had your ride for the day. It's back to your bassinets for a snooze." Harry wasn't about to give them any sympathy.

:Hold then.: Jamie pouted.

:We sleep. You hold.: Rafe grumbled.

Hermione conjured a baby sling and settled Jamie in it. "Of course we'll hold you." She crooned down at her son.

"Just no lift," Harry loved magic, it instantly adapted to whatever was needed, in this case the double sling shrank down into the perfect size to snuggle Rafe. "Deal?"

:Deal, dada.: The two of them settled off to sleep.

The front doors opened and several sets of footsteps followed.

"The boys are back from training with Kane." Harry turned to watch as the four of them limped towards the kitchen.

"Starving by the looks of it," Hermione smirked.

"You go check on the goings-on in the East Wing." Harry kissed her. "I'll go feed the troops."

"Sounds like a plan." Hermione smiled. "I'll join you in a bit."

--

"Kane's a slave driver." Bastion, now six foot two and the mirror image of his father at almost seventeen, plopped down on one of the stools set around the Kitchen Island as did Sean, Alan, and Donnie.

"Master Chen was watching, so that didn't help matters any." Sean groaned.

"He's sizing us up to see which of us makes the cut next term." Donavan had enjoyed the workout.

"Yeah and boy did Kane give us hell today." Alan grumbled.

"Hey, I only take it because it fascinates me, but I'm still gonna be a Wizarding Vet." Bastion, who was barely winded, got four Butterbeer's out of the fridge by magical means. He was too beat to even leave his seat.

"Hey, I design brooms. I mean even Cedric, Wood, Dean, and Seamus thinks my Thunderbolt design is top-notch." Sean was proud of his talent for designing brooms.

"I'm not half bad at potions and stuff either…" Alan muttered.

"I've a knack for designing, drawing, and stuff like that, but all of our hard work would be for naught." Donavan popped the cap on his Butterbeer just by waving his hand over the top of it and took a swig.

"Having problems boys?" Harry walked into the kitchen.

"Nah, just a gripe session about today's torture session with Kane," Bastion got up to look down at his nephew. "What's his problem today? He looks beyond peeved."

"Jamie and this little guy like the lift." Harry got himself a Guinness out of the fridge. "Boys, if your hearts are set elsewhere then being an Auror isn't gonna work for any of you." He had overheard most of their conversation and decided that it was time for some career counseling.

"Then Donnie's right and all of our training was all for nothing." Alan frowned.

"Training is good for the mind, body, and spirit, but unless your heart and soul are in it completely you'll never make it through training." Harry put his Guinness back and chose a Butterbeer instead.

"I've always wanted to be an Auror since I first learned of what they did. It was my main goal career wise, but then I was a natural at it and in a way it was kind of like the family business." Harry popped the cap and then took a drink from the bottle. "Bastion is a natural with all creatures. Sean seems to fancy designing brooms. Alan seems to me to be leaning towards Potions Master or maybe even Healer. Last but not least in any way is Donnie who is already a proven artist and architect with the highly popular Quidditch Park."

"That was you? Bree's secret partner is you?" Bastion coughed out after swallowing Butterbeer down the wrong pipe.

"That park is brilliant mate." Sean grinned.

"Yeah, it's wicked cool, so why didn't ya tell us?" Alan frowned.

"I don't know…" Donavan shrugged. "I guess I didn't want you guys to rib me about liking to design, draw, and stuff."

"Sean draws all the time and we don't rib him about it." Bastion shot down that excuse.

"Brooms, Bastion. Sean designs brooms." Donavan raked his fingers through his sandy brown hair.

"Yeah, so how is that any different? Drawing is just that drawing." Alan frowned.

"Be right back." Harry thinking of a solution to this current situation vanished from the kitchen.

"I'm an artist and architect like Bree. You tease her relentlessly about her designs." Donavan grumbled.

"She's my twin; I'm entitled to tease her about her brilliant brainstorms and ideas and she teases me about my passion for animals." Bastion shot back.

"Look. I'm sorry that I held out on all of you, but I couldn't take getting razed about my work. It's too important ta me." Donavan grumbled in defeat.

"That's as it should be." Harry appeared with a leather bound portfolio in his hands. "Gramps sent me this to look-over last week." He opened it and took out the designs and artists renderings and laid them out on the counter. "These are designs for the new Wizarding schools around the world. The Americas, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland, Africa, Japan, Asia, and Oceania are all on board and scouting for locations to begin building their schools."

Donnie's sapphire blue eyes lit up with pride. "They liked our ideas?"

"You and Bree dreamed up all of these?" Sean picked up a detailed drawing then looked at Donnie with admiration and not ridicule in his eyes.

"These are beyond works of art." Alan was more than a little impressed.

"The International Council, that's a colossal achievement mate." Bastion was awed by the detail that they had poured into their designs. They had gone as far as to include a detailed floor by floor design layout and outdoor landscape plan for each proposed school. Not only that but each design was unique to the country of origin. "I say focus on this. You'd be a fool not to. I mean so what if you're the best out of all of us when it comes to the training. This overshadows that by infinity times ten."

"All that training really does is center one in the mind, body, and spirit. What you do with that is entirely up to you." Harry decided that Marauder sandwiches would do for lunch, so he went to get out all the fixings. "That's yours to keep Donnie. Gramps gave me two of them."

"Thanks for the advice, Harry." Donnie set it all back into the portfolio. "I've got the originals, but this is nice to have too."

"I'm here for all of you if you ever need to talk." Harry built them their sandwiches. "Sean I really want to see you design that Thunderbolt that's one vision that I'd like to see come to fruition. Alan there's nothing wrong with being a Potions Master or a Healer, in fact they're nice to have around. Bastion your path was set when Pepper had her kittens all those years ago. Donnie you have the opportunity to design things that people can enjoy for generations to come. Follow your dreams boys and you'll be happier for it." He set plates down each with a massive sandwich and crisps in front of them. Then walked over to the fridge and got out five bottles of Guinness. "Bastion's seventeen in two weeks and the three of you are already, so allow me to treat you men with a cold one." He set the bottles down in front of them and popped the caps by waving a hand over the tops of the bottles.

"Hey, thanks Harry." The boys grinned.

"For what boys… Those are just harmless bottles of Butterbeer." Harry focused on the bottles and the outside appearances changed. "Always be sure to cover your tracks it's very important so commit that to memory."

"Commit what to memory, lion?" Hermione walked into the kitchen.

"Harry's just giving us some career advice, sis." Bastion smiled warmly at his sister.

"Is that so?" Hermione arched a knowing brow at Harry.

"Yes, Mione, none of them have their hearts set on being Aurors more like Wizarding Architect, Healer or Potions Master, Broom Designer, and Wizarding Vet. I just told them to follow their dreams." Harry took a bite of his own sandwich and offered her the other half. "Hungry?"

"One Guinness is fine because the ones in our house are alcohol free." Hermione took a bite from his sandwich. "Now as for Donnie being a Wizarding Architect, Alan a Healer, Sean a Broom Designer, and Bastion a Wizarding Vet, well, it's about time the three of you realized there is more to life than being Aurors. That and Harry really does wish to have his Thunderbolt and has for the past five years."

"No fooling?" Sean's moss green eyes lit up with delight.

"No fooling. I dreamed about it summer of seventh year, even made Thunderbolt the password for Gryffindor that year." Harry poured Hermione a glass of milk and set it down on the counter.

"That settles it then it's designing brooms for me." Sean polished off his sandwich. "See ya guys later. I'm gonna go home, shower, change, work on my new design, and then get ready for my date with Binky." Sean left Merlin style in emerald light.

"Same here, only it's becoming a Healer for me. I've got to do some reading then get ready for my date with Ami." Alan left Merlin style in aquamarine and light.

Donnie stacked up their empty plates and loaded them into the dishwasher. "Since I'm crashing here for the summer while my parents are out of the country, it's only fitting that I pitch in and do my part."

"Donnie all of you boys are family and yes feel free to pitch in whenever you like." Hermione adored him like a little brother. "Bastion has never been neat or tidy in his life."

"I was gonna pitch in." Bastion grinned sheepishly.

"All three of you are here for the summer, so for you two it's mowing the lawn the muggle way, emptying the rubbish bin, and keeping the rooms that you live in livable." Harry disposed of the empty bottles and then set about cleaning the counter. "Think you can handle those chores boys?"

"What about Bree?" Bastion frowned.

"She's got a job with Marcus and Addison for the summer and she helps with the kids." Hermione reminded him.

"I've no problem with that which reminds me I've got to shower, change, and then go have a chat with my cousins about a summer job." Donavan vanished in sapphire light.

"I'm gonna clean up and then go check on Moon, Diamond, and Raine." Bastion vanished in fiery orange light.

"Mum, Dad, and the siblings are away with Grams and Gramps on an official visit to the Isle. Our girls are out for the rest of the day and our three resident teens sound like they have dates tonight. We my beautiful lioness are alone apart from the boys, but other than that alone." Harry playfully nuzzled her neck.

"Well, Wolfe, if I get the East Wing properly squared away to my liking." She walked her fingers up his arm. "And if the boys wish to settle down in their cribs then quality us time might just be in your future tonight." She purred that last bit in his ear and then vanished.

"East Wing squared away, eh." Harry looked down at his son. "Tell you what Rafe. I'll treat you and your brother to a ride in the lift at least once a day, but you two have to be good and settle off to sleep in your cribs."

Rafe stared up at him as if he were considering his proposition. :Twice a day. Dada or no deal.:

"Twice a day it is then." Harry chuckled when Rafe reached up, grabbed his finger, and shook it. "A deal it is then."

--

Windsor Castle

Dani stared longingly out the window at the groomsman tending the horses on the grounds bellow. She was bored. The three hours of boring tests meant to challenge her and her sisters had been nothing, but child's play for her brilliant little mind.

"I'm finished." She looked up at the salt and pepper haired dignified professor, who was overseeing her tests.

"These are important exams meant to be taken with the utmost seriousness." The professor looked down on her over her reading specs. "Each exam has a two and a half hour window, so I suggest that you go over your answers again."

Dani hated people who acted condescending towards her. "Me entendu. Tá me teoranta. I'm perfectus. Ic sie gedon." She spoke in several different languages before switching back to English again when the woman gaped at her in complete and utter shock. "I'm done. It's finished. No more need to stare at it anymore. The answers are correct. My work is flawless and I wish to go riding now please." Dani glared up at her.

"So how's everything going in here?" Wills opened the door to look in on Dani.

"Very well your highness. Danielle has completed the first two exams and is now focusing on the third and final most challenging of the three." The professor was cool as ice with him.

"I'm finished, but Professor Dotty doesn't believe me." Dani was barely reining in the urge to jinx the snotty old maid professor.

"The fastest time on this particular exam is rarely less than two hours. Danielle has only used one if that…" Professor Dotty sniffed indignantly at Wills.

"Her mother has a 198 IQ as does her father. My niece doesn't lie. If she says that she's done then she means it." Wills narrowed his eyes at the professor.

"She's nearly five and a child, your highness. All children lie to get…" Her voice grew hoarse, so she cleared her throat. "…Excuse me their…" She could barely speak now, so she poured herself a glass of water and drank it. "…Own way." She managed to get out before her ability to speak was no more. Wide-eyed she grabbed at her throat, as if that could help her regain her voice back.

"I don't lie. I don't break my promises and this entire afternoon was a complete joke to me! Mensa is supposed to be able to challenge my mind, so far you're sorely lacking at it!" Dani got to her feet, gathered her test booklet and answer sheets, and then handed it to her. "I'm finished and you need to go gargle with saltwater or something. Although, it is nippy in the castle perhaps you've come down with a summer cold or maybe hysterical laryngitis." She eyed her with concern. "I'll take my leave of you now, but first I'll have my Uncle Wills personally turn in all three of my exams to the Chief examiner."

Wills waited patiently while a distraught Mildred Dotty put all of her booklets and test sheets in a large envelope and handed it to him. "Professor with an attitude like yours you really should stick to tending the Royal libraries. My niece has sat in this room for nearly four hours like a well-behaved girl three times her age and now that she's finished we're going riding." Wills was cold as ice towards her. "Never use that tone with my niece or what's mine again or I will blacklist you. Do we have an understanding Professor Mildred Dotty?"

She nodded shakily.

"Good now get out of my sight and take your leave from my Grandmothers castle." Wills pointed to the door.

She gathered her things, gave Dani a cold look as if to say spoiled-rotten-little-brat, before making her exit with her nose stuck haughtily in the air.

"Professor Dotty!" Wills snapped sharply his voice laced with steel.

The woman whirled around to glare at him.

"Consider yourself blacklisted. Now leave this castle immediately you seem to be coming down with something vile and I will not tolerate you contaminating the entire castle with it!" Wills wrinkled his nose as if the very sight of her made him ill.

The professor caught sight of herself in a mirror, silently shrieked in horror, and the raced down the corridor in tears.

--

"Uncle Wills, I swear that it wasn't…I mean yes I wanted to very badly, but it wasn't me." Dani bit down on her lower lip.

Wills scooped her up into his arms and kissed her nose. "I know you didn't. I've got a temper too you know and that crone was asking for it."

"Is Dani all right?" Rory came to check on her.

"I'm fine Aunt Rory." Dani smiled at her.

"I saw Professor Dotty race out of the wing in tears and she looked worse for wear…" Rory saw the envelope in Wills hand and frowned. "What in the name of Mab did you do to the poor woman?"

"I relieved her of her duties…"

"You did more than that William."

"Dani was finished. She was being unprofessional and condescending with Dani and then with me…"

"So, you took it on yourself to divest her of her ability to speak and then jinxed her to boot." Rory folded her arms and scowled at him in annoyance. "What did the foolish woman do call Dani a liar?"

They nodded.

"I see then in that case job well done." Rory took the envelope from him. "Let's give this to the guy in charge and then go riding, while your sisters finish with their final tests of the day."

"Uncle Wills did those things to her. I was good just like I promised." Dani pouted.

"Yes baby, I know. Professor Dotty was only sporting a mediocre rash and you tend to hit your target with both barrels blazing." Rory, oblivious to William scowling at her, winked at Dani.

"Mediocre my arse that was top-notch…" He grumbled.

"Yes, Dream, of course it was." Rory, her voice laced with laugher, set off to deliver the envelope to the head examiner.

Wills stalked after her. :It was poison oak, a nettle rash, and prickly heat combined.:

:Yes and I believe you.: Rory crooned back as she smiled warmly at the stately older gentleman presiding over Ally's tests. "Dani's all set, so we're taking her riding with us."

"Very well then, her sisters will be finished in an hour or so." He smiled warmly at her as he took the envelope containing Dani's nearly four hours of hard work. "Mildred tested their mother years ago. It's a pity that after all these years the same exact illness has befallen her again. Not matter, I'll tell Lord and Lady Evans of your whereabouts. Happy riding." He closed the door.

"I thought she looked familiar. No wonder I reacted like I did." Wills put and arm around Rory's waist as they headed for their private apartments. "She did the same thing to Hermione. I must have been ten at the time…" He chuckled.

"Oh Wills, I bet it was a team effort." Rory giggled.

"Uncle was being an arse towards Mum that day, so I was dying to take my fury out on someone. She fit the bill quite nicely." Wills reminisced.

"One would think that she would have mellowed, but some people get pricklier with age." Dani scowled down at her dress and Mary Janes. "I can't ride in this."

Rory opened the doors to her and Wills private apartments. "That can be easily fixed and as for Miss Dotty some muggles are born with prickly dispositions."

"Her problem is that she believes that testing us is a cosmic waste of time and Mensa resources. To her knowledge is power and it irks her that the three us are overflowing with the stuff." Dani sighed when Wills set her down on her feet.

"Yes, well, then she deserved what was cast on her. Now stand still while I change your dress into fitting riding clothes." Rory focused on Dani's dress and in the blink of an eye she had her dressed for riding.

"You know that's the one set of charms that I've yet to figure out." Dani was amazed at what certain combinations of the glamour spell could do.

"Good it's something to look forward to when you're a teenager." Wills, now also dressed in riding gear, winked at her.

"A Glamour spell is for one much older than your nearly five years." Rory picked her up in her arms.

--

Enchanted Construction and Design Inc.

Bree glared at her work board willing an idea to pop into her head that was superb and not just blah. Her mind kept wandering to having to tell Donavan that their secret had been blown sky-high. "It's no use. I can't focus today…" She glared at the basic design of a common Welsh country cottage.

"Donavan what a lovely surprise," Addison's happy greeting filtered in from her studio. "Bree's brainstorming something brilliant for the Coopers…"

"Addy is, uh, Marcus around?" Donavan asked.

Donnie's inquiry puzzled Bree causing her to fudge a line on her beginning sketch of a Welch Country Estate.

"He's off taking meetings in London both at the Ministry and completing the signing of the sale of the land that he feels is perfect for the Copper's to build their new home." Addison was creating an artist rendering of Marcus' proposed design for Elizabeth's Godric's Hollow cottage. "So, since he's not here you can tell me what's troubling you." She set her paintbrush down and focused on her cousin.

Donnie started to pace in front of her. "I had a revelation hit me today and it's a 180 from the career path that I had originally chosen to pursue."

"I see," Addison eyed him thoughtfully. "So what's this have to do with Marcus?"

Donnie had brought his portfolio for Marcus to look at. "I wanted him to look at my…"

"Designs?" Addison arched a knowing brow at him.

"Yeah…" Donavan's brow furrowed in suspicion towards his cousin, "How'd you find out about them?"

"You my dear cousin like all brilliant artists have a signature method, a fingerprint of sorts, which can be found in all of your works." Addison stated softly. "I've known you all of your life, so I know what that signature is."

"I'm good, but far from brilliant." Donavan raked his fingers through his hair. "I want to be a Wizarding Architect and that's what I want to talk to Marcus about."

All thoughts of completing her drawing vanished from her mind and Bree dashed into the other room. "What about your dreams of becoming an Auror like my big brothers?"

Donavan never tired of Bree's beauty both inside and out. He drank in the sight of her in her apprentice wear. She looked eighteen not nearly seventeen in her delicate silk shell pink blouse, matching silk linen slacks, and ballet flats. Her glorious mane of hair was pulled back with a pink silk headband. Amber eyes stared up at him with loving concern for him and she was worrying her lower lip with her teeth which usually meant she was flustered about something. "We've all had a change of heart and all agree that becoming an Auror won't make any of our dreams a reality. Nor will it make us happy career wise, so that's out for us. I mean we'll still train with Kane and the others, but only because we wish to." He conjured a rose the color of her blouse.

"What's troubling you my angel?" His sapphire blue eyes stared down into her troubled golden ones and he threaded the rose through her hair.

"What about your nagging fear that Bastion and the boys would…" Bree was stopped by his gentle kiss.

"They reacted quite the opposite actually..." He cupped her face with his hands, because she wasn't about to tell him what was bugging her, and used their link to find out for himself. "Sabrina I'd never be cross with you for voicing out your opinions about my secret passion for designing." He chuckled softly and placed a gentle kiss on her nose.

Bree's blissful mood vanished. "Donavan what you wish to do with your future is entirely up to you. However picking my brain…" She gave him a sharp mental shove that sent him stumbling back a few steps. "…Is not! I'm not some open book for you to just page through at your leisure!" She took out her wand and gave him a hotfoot.

"Bree I wasn't…"

"Is that so Clearwater?! Well then how else could you possibly know that I've been beside myself with guilt over caving in to my true feelings about your choices and confiding them to Marcus and Addison at tea!?" Bree took the rose out of her hair, threw at him, stormed back into the other office, and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Are you two linked or were you being rude by looking without permission?" Addison folded her arms across her chest and scowled at him.

"She looked troubled. She was biting her lip…" Donavan sat down on the love seat and buried his face in his hands. "I forget that she's new to what's like breathing to me."

"Linking is a big step for the two of you." Addison got up and went to sit beside him.

"Do you think that I don't know that?" He muttered under his breath.

"Donavan she's crazy for you and you for her, but she's skittish of these new feelings between the two of you."

"New not so much, but highly intensified about covers it. Too hot to handle explains it quite nicely."

"She's also very empathic and completely aware of everyone around her." Addison gave his hand a reassuring pat. "She's like Marcus…Highly gifted in the powers of the mind, so much so he uses it only as a tool to aid in his designs."

"No wonder Marcus is so brilliant at what he does and Bree as well. They instantly know what the client wants just by sitting down for a chat." Donavan sighed in frustration. "I'll be so frustrated about something or sore as hell from a workout and she just cuddles up to me and it all melts away…I mean she's done that since I've known her. Gods how could I have been so dense! I should have known or sensed it at least! I mean she never cries…"

"Donavan…" The door to the office opened and Bree stood timidly in the doorway. "I'm sorry…" Tears, which were alarming in itself because she never cried, were forming in her eyes. "I've kept it all in check…forged walls to keep the noise, emotion, and stuff out. You breaching them terrifies me that I'll have to endure all of that in my head again…I hated all the noise…the constant chattering…the migraines."

Donavan got up to go gather her in his arms. "Shh baby-doll it's okay." He crooned softly into her hair.

"I didn't mind my link with Bastion, but the rest…" She sobbed against his chest.

"Best Mate or not if you made my baby sister cry I'll have to pummel you!" Bastion having sensed his twin's distress appeared in Addison's offices in a blaze of fiery light.

"Bastion…" Bree brushed away her tears with her hands. "I'm fine…"

"No Sabrina you're crying and you rarely cry, so you aren't okay." Bastion narrowed his eyes at Donnie.

"Ones with all three powers of the mind rarely…" Donavan stopped in midsentence when she gaped at him in shock and then rubbed at her temples.

"Sabrina?" Bastion became immediately concerned.

"Relax, Sebastian, my nightmare as a three-year-old isn't resurfacing its deafening head again at least not like that anyway…" She turned around to reassure her twin. "Donavan and I are linked…"

"Stay the hell out of my baby sisters head Clearwater!" Bastion's eyes darkened to a deep chocolate brown a clear sign that he was nearing meltdown temper wise. "I'll not have her go through that again! The migraines! The doctors that were clueless about what was wrong. The pills that they prescribed for her that our parents forced her to take, because the doctors thought it was the best form of treatment, that didn't make her Bree anymore! I'm stronger than her. I was able to put it all in checkmate even at three. You'll not destroy what took her over a year to build and years to fortify!"

"Sebastian I'm not three anymore and with the help of Aunt Gene, Uncle Severus, and Uncle Albus have learned to embrace it as well as keep it all in checkmate." She kept herself between him and Donavan. "It's not going to ever happen again, Bastion. I know that it scares you…it does me too, but Donnie didn't know any better and this link between us has slowly been forging itself since second year."

"They drugged you?!" Donavan swore under his breath when she nodded.

"Hermione was ten, our parents were still basically clueless, so yeah they more than welcomed the doctors remedy." Bastion to this day had never forgiven them for what they had done to Bree. "Hell her symptoms vanished, what did it matter that she wasn't Bree anymore! I spent hours sitting with her and trying to reach her with our link…Nana and I both helped her build the walls in her head until she didn't need them anymore."

"Bastion…" Addison got up from the love seat to give him a hug. "Donavan has been taught all of his life to embrace his gifts of the mind and how to control them. If anything he'll make certain that her ordeal at the tender age of three never happens again."

"I'm going to sketch at the site where the Cooper's homestead is soon to be built. All this is doing is giving me a migraine." Bree vanished in a flash of Mediterranean blue light.

"The Cooper's homestead?" Both Bastion and Donavan frowned at Addison.

"Marcus gave her free rein on the design, but for some reason she's run into a block…hmm…I wonder why that could be." Addison went back to work on her artist rendering.

"Addison, Sabrina has never had a problem with my original career choice…"

"You're wrong there my friend. Bree just isn't one to stand in anyone's way." Bastion eyed his watch. "See you either at home or at the Cineplex." He vanished just as Marcus arrived back from London.

--

Chapter 8

Muddled Emotions

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	8. Muddled Emotions

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter8

Muddled Emotions

--

"Dearest, correct me if I'm wrong, but did I miss something colossally important while I was out?" Marcus could feel the tension in the room.

"I'll fill you in later. I promise. Meredith called. She and Zane Hale are scouting out locations for the ministry for the new schools and their first stop is the States…"

"Merri jumped to take this assignment. Are she and Hale speaking again?" Marcus set his briefcase down, called Donavan's portfolio to him, and took a seat on the love seat.

"Zane adores our eldest daughter, so yes the two are speaking again. Abby is enjoying her holiday with Mum and Dad it was lovely of them to treat her with a holiday in Australia for her graduation from Hogwarts present."

"Two misses in a row. What about Carrie and Anderson?" Marcus was looking over Donavan's portfolio.

"Both are happily enjoying camp. Their letters came today, which has them all charged about their first year at Hogwarts. They both miss us terribly or so they claim." Addison smiled. "They tried your phone, but got your voice mail."

"I was in a meeting, so I shut it off." Marcus reached into his robes pocket for his Blackberry and sure enough there were four text messages waiting for him and four voice mails for him to listen to. I'll touch base with them in a while. First things first…Donavan how serious are you about becoming a Wizarding Designer?" He got straight to the point and focused entirely on Donavan. "You are either all in or not at all. I'll take nothing less in my apprentices." Cool sea green eyes locked gazes with darker sapphire ones.

"I'm all in. It's what I wish to do. I decided that being an Auror just because I'm a natural at it isn't enough to make me happy or wish to be one for my life's career. Watching what you've created in your mind become reality from the drawing board to the completion of a project, knowing that what you've designed will be enjoyed for generations to come, seems far more rewarding to me."

"You're chucking four years of training just like that?" Marcus snapped his fingers.

"Training helps us keep focused in mind, body, and spirit. It hones the mind for sharper clearer thinking. It allows the body to have faster reflexes and superior strength which are all pluses on a building site. It also keeps short fuses on a leash and teaches limitless patience all also useful as well." Donavan corrected his assessment of his training. "The four of us plan to continuing our training, because it keeps us centered. I never do anything halfway, because you never know when life is gonna aim a bludger at your gut and take it all away from you."

"Very good then welcome to the team," Marcus's serious expression changed to that of a welcoming smile. "I took the liberty of changing the plaque at the Quidditch Park to include your name as well. I stopped by to see Uncle Stephen and the schools proposals have your name on them as well. Bree is extremely proud of the team the two of you make and of your talent as an artist and designer as is my Addison."

"Dad! Someone added Donnie's name to…" Brian their fourteen-year-old raced into the main office.

"Yes Brian, I know all about it." Marcus glanced up at his son.

"Your cousin co-designed the park with Bree. It's only fitting that his name be included as well." Addison narrowed her eyes at him. "Brian Marcus Edwards how many times do I have to tell you to change your clothes before you come rushing in here fresh from the lake? You're dripping all over great-grams oriental rug."

Brian grinned sheepishly at his mum. "Sorry, Mum. So you're Bree's secret weapon are you?" He focused his sea green eyes on Donavan.

"More like her silent partner, but yeah that would be me." Donavan nodded.

"The park is wicked cool. You thought of everything!" Brian was one of the parks biggest fans.

"Bree's on team Gryffindor, so I think she had some say in the project." Marcus took the Origami computer from his pocket. The miniature computer was like having a desktop or laptop in the palm of your hand and everyone on his team carried one because that way they had all the information they needed about a project right at their fingertips. This particular one was going to be Donavan's.

"Yeah, I know Dad. It's just the park is…"

"It's fitting for both genders, which is as it should be. Now march yourself back to the house." Addison pointed to the doors leading out of the office.

"Fine mum I'll go change, but can I go watch Puddlemere United practice for the World Cup?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes Brian, but keep out-of-the-way." Addison sighed in defeat.

"Thanks Mum." Brian raced out of the office.

"That boy always has Quidditch on the brain." Addison went back to her painting.

"He's fourteen, darling, and its summer. He gets excellent marks. So let him enjoy his summer." Marcus handed Donavan the Origami. "You and Bree get to jump in with both feet with the Cooper project."

Donavan glanced down at the screen then over at Marcus.

"Is there a problem?" Marcus frowned.

"Bree is miffed at him at the moment." Addison glanced up at them.

"Oh?"

"Yes, he looked without asking,"

"I see, well, it takes time to get used to a heartlink."

"No Marcus, Bree is highly sensitive…"

"Like I was?"

She nodded.

"No wonder she's furious with you. The walls aren't there for decoration Donavan. They are there for her sanity." Marcus narrowed his eyes at him. "You of all people know better than that Donavan Ryan Clearwater."

"I love her Marcus. I'd cut off my right arm before having her suffer like she did as a toddler. By Merlin they used drugs to quiet the voices… Drugs…on a…three-year-old innocent baby." Donavan crushed the rose that he had been holding in his other hand with his fist.

"Drugs? Merlin's beard they could have seriously damaged her mind! Uncle Albus would have come had they asked him!" Marcus swore under his breath.

"The spell prevented that, besides Bastion and Aunt Mattie got her off them by working with her and building the barriers to block out the noise and feelings of those around her." Addison cut into his rant.

"It's no wonder her work reminds me of my own. She uses the same gifts to achieve O quality results in all her designs." Marcus growled.

Donavan zipped all of his work back in its leather bound case and stowed the computer in his pocket. "She's brooding in the meadow between Ron and Luna's and the twins places right?"

"Fred and George find it fascinating that a muggle scientist was searching for a spot to set down roots for his wife and witchling daughter. So they suggested that he buy that parcel of land from them. Its 50 acres with lake front views." Marcus nodded.

"Then that's where I'm off to." Donavan vanished.

--

Bastion sat in a blind watching the unicorns in the valley they had dubbed Unicorn valley where three mares were due to give birth any day now.

"Da says it's gonna 'appen real soon." Jacen, Hagrid and Olympe's four-year-old son sat beside him. He was a miniature copy of his Dad with curious sky blue eyes.

"Yeah, I know." Bastion ruffled his unruly cap of chocolate brown curls affectionately. "That's why we're in here and not out there where they can see us."

"Midnight's ratty. He chased Da off when he got close to Moon." Jacen chattered. "Reared up at him and everything."

"He's protective of his mate. She's carrying twins." Bastion easily spotted the jet-black stallion with striking blue eyes standing not even five feet from their blind with his mate Moon was grazing nearby.

"Da's feedin' her special stuff."

"Yeah, he's worried about her. You see kiddo one foal is hard enough, but two is even dodgier." Bastion nodded.

"Well then lad we can always take her and Night ta Harry's." Hagrid stepped into the blind. "Diamond and Raine are old hands at birthin' foals, but our Moon and Night are first time parents."

"I have a feeling that she'll need us." Bastion was thinking the same thing.

"Paddy and I agree, so all that's left ta do is for ya to go convince Night." Hagrid scooped Jacen up into his arms.

"Me? He tried to run you through with his horn and you want me to have a go at it?" Bastion stared at him in disbelief.

"Yep. Night likes ya well enough and ya have the touch with animals. Trust in your gift Bastion it won't steer ya wrong." Hagrid lectured him.

"Bastion's not afraid. He's brave like you Da." Jacen idolized Bastion.

"That's right son. Bastion's fearless around all animals." Hagrid nodded.

Bastion eyed the bridles that Hagrid was holding in his hand. "You wish me to harness them too?"

"Night's had on a bridle so has Moon."

"Yeah, but he was in a much nicer mood." Bastion got up and took the bridles from him.

"Charlie tried to approach him cloaked, but Night ran him off." Hagrid told him when Bastion reached for his invisibility cloak.

"Charlie struck out too. Gee Hagrid that makes me feel loads better." Bastion grumbled. "Did the same happen with Grandpa Paddy?"

Hagrid nodded.

Bastion bit back an oath. "My turn then… Here goes nothing… Be sure to visit me in St. Mungo's" Bastion vanished.

"Jace let's you and me watch the natural at work." Hagrid conjured himself a chair and sat down to watch the show.

--

Midnight's ears flattened with temper yet another fool was no doubt trying to get near what was his again. Nostrils flaring he struck at the grass with his front hoofs to warn the intruder to bugger off.

Bastion had loaded up on treats that he planned use to woo Midnight back into his good graces again, but the trick was to survive first to hand them out. He was cloaked with his prized invisibility cloak that he had earned with blood sweat and tears from training last summer with Harry, Kane, Mac, Logan, and Draco. He figured every little bit helped and even if Night got his scent he'd still have a hard enough time running him through if he couldn't see him.

He silently made his way towards Night calling on all his training to not make a single sound. He wasn't counting on Moon, who adored him to pieces, to catch scent of him first, proceed to nicker with joy, and go cantering over where he was walking.

Night sniffed the air catching scent of the intruder. Bastion… He instinctively knew that it was the boy and shot off at a full gallop towards him to get between him and his mate.

Bastion scrambled backwards just barely getting clear of the stallion hell-bent on running him through. The hood of his cloak flew off his head. "Easy boy… No ones gonna harm you or Moon." He shed the cloak revealing himself completely to the stallion.

Night reared up in front of him snorting in warning for him to back off.

"Night cool it with the antics. I'm only here to help Moon and her babies." Bastion easily stayed out of the range of his hooves.

"You sense it too. It's why your so off the charts about anyone getting around her." He held out a carrot as a peace offering.

"It's only for a little while and you'll be treated like royalty at Harry's place."

Night's ears pricked up at the mention of Harry's name.

"Yeah that's right, Night. Harry has a place in the new barn for you, Moon, and your babies." Bastion used Night's adoration towards Harry to his advantage. "Dani, Ally, and Mia can see you too and I know how much you adore them." He took a few steps closer.

Night eyed the carrot suspiciously not knowing if he should trust what the boy was saying to him.

Moon nickered at him that she approved of it, so he nipped the carrot from Bastions palm.

"Easy, Night, now don't go getting any ideas while I put the bridle on you." Bastion carefully slipped it on him while making sure to keep plying him with treats. "Good boy. Now let me do the same with Moon."

Night watched intently as Bastion checked her over before easily slipping the bridle on his mates head.

"Just a day or so now Moon." Bastion fed her some apple slices and herbs to keep her and her little ones calm, but also to prepare her for the foaling.

Moon nuzzled his hair lovingly.

"I'll keep all of you safe" He stroked her neck. "I promise."

"Uncle Paddy said you might need a hand, but looks to me as if you've got it all under control." Harry and Draco appeared behind him.

"Charlie's nursing war wounds from this morning, even Hagrid and Uncle Paddy got nicked by Night. I'm very impressed little brother." Draco grinned at him.

"First-gramps and Master Chen say you've got the gift with animals, only one with the gift could get near Night unscathed and bridle him when he's in protective mode major." Harry walked over to greet Night.

Night proceeded to nicker and snort at him in frustration.

Harry listened intently and waited out Night's rant before speaking to him. "Yeah, I know this waiting for the big event is torture on the nerves, but taking it out on Charlie, Uncle Paddy, and Hagrid is bad form." He conjured a bouquet of carrots for him to munch on while he ran his hands over him, using his own gift with all creatures to soothe and ease his fears. "Don't worry my friend. You'll have both your foals and your mate when all is said and done. This I promise you. In order to keep that promise we need to be there for the foaling and for that you need to come with us to my place and get spoiled rotten by everyone in the process."

Night locked eyes with him, as if searching Harry's mind for answers, and then it was as if all his fears vanished. The weight on his withers had been lifted and he was back to being his playful self-again and nicked a treat out of Harry's pocket.

"Draco it's all right for you and Bastion to take Moon. I'll take care of Night." Harry glanced over at his brothers.

"Unreal…I mean it that was amazing…" Bastion was dumb-struck by what Harry had just done. "I could learn a lot from you big brother. You're light-years ahead of me when it comes with working with all creatures."

"I learned from Hagrid long before I met First-Grandpa and yes little brother there is much that all of us can teach you. You need only ask." Harry grabbed hold of a fistful of Night's mane and swung up onto his back. "You two get Moon settled. Night and I'll be round after he's had his run." Harry and the stallion shot off across the meadow.

"You heard him little brother. Let's get Moon settled in her palace." Draco took hold of Moons reins, grabbed him by the arm, and then all three of them vanished.

--

Sight of the Cooper's future homestead

Donavan found Bree sitting on knoll overlooking the lake.

"How difficult can it possibly be to design a home for the Cooper's?" He sat down beside her and draped his jacket around her shoulders. "Or are you trying to spy the serpent of the lake?"

"Shove off, Donavan Ryan! I wish to be alone!" Bree continued to glare out at the lake.

"So you're slacking off on-the-job already? I mean brooding at the lake gets zero work done and as it's not even three yet your still on the clock." Donavan reached over to nick her sketchbook out of her lap and flipped it open until he found a new drawing.

"Now Sabrina Alexis what does my getting flamed by Pen or Circe have to do with…" He flipped to the next page. "Now that's just mean the serpent in Black Lake is a herbivore! I'd make a horrible meal…" The next page was worse. "Fluffy, Thestrals, and the Griffs as well…!" He tossed down the sketchbook in disgust, vaulted to his feet, and decided that prowling the site for a while was far better than doing what he wanted and that was throttle her.

Bree grabbed up her sketchbook, jumped to her feet, and stalked after him. "Why are you here Clearwater? I think I've more than made it clear that I'm not speaking to you right now!"

"I'm getting a feel for the site, Granger, so I can form a plan of how to design the manor, Workshop, and Studio for the Cooper's new homestead." Donavan got his back up when she used his surname to address him, so he retaliated in kind. "You're not my favorite person either right now. Marcus gave me this assignment and I intend to complete it with O level results."

"Wrong Clearwater! This is my project! Go find your own!" Bree's eyes darkened to chocolate caramel as her temper flared even more and a lightning bolt struck out of the clear blue sky at Donavan's feet.

"Bloody hell, Granger! You're underage that's the second time today that you've used magic! Knock it the hell off before they put you on probation!" The wind whipped around him and he was doing his best to avoid the bolts of lightning that she was aiming at his person.

"I'm not using anything, but the elements around me! That's natural magic, Clearwater! Not against the rules!" She formed a little black cloud above his head.

"Damn it Sabrina Alexis! What the hell is your problem?! Is it because I linked without asking?!" He yelped when a bolt singed him in the ass.

"Wrong, Clearwater! Though, that's a major part of it!" She narrowed her eyes at him forming a minicyclone around him that lifted him off the ground, because she was that pissed off at him.

Donavan found himself being carried towards the lake. "Is it because I changed careers?! If that's it then you'll just have to live with it because I'm…" The minicyclone dissipated and he was dumped into the lake.

"No you horses-arse! You clueless moron! I'm beyond furious with you because you value the boy's opinions a hell of a lot more than you've ever valued mine! It took their approval to get you to realize the career path you were born to follow! I've told you that you'd make a better Wizarding Architect than an Auror for two years!" Bree was beyond hurt that he valued the boy's views far more seriously than her own.

"You can take your stupid Claddagh and shove it for all I care!" She wrenched the ring off her finger and threw it at him. "We're a team or so I thought, but I was so very, very, wrong about that and you!!" Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't care.

Donavan caught the ring in his fist. Her words cut through him like a white-hot blade. "Damn it to Hell, Sabrina! You know that's not true! I've confided to you my deepest darkest dreams! I value your opinion above anyone's! Hell you know more about me than I do about you! It works both ways sweetheart!" He stalked up the hill furious and sopping wet, not really relishing wearing wet clothes he used a glamour spell to change into fresh jeans, t-shirt, and trainers.

"What happened to me as a child of three has nothing to do with any of this!" Bree took a few steps back.

"You being psy-sensative to the extreme sure as hell does! To you all I do is take, take, take and not give shit back! That's Griffshit and you know it! I confided to you and only you about my crazy messed up nightmares!" His eyes glowed with leashed fury. "About my were-like abilities… if that ain't trust babe then I don't know what is!"

"It was ages ago! Not worth confiding about!" Bree glared defiantly up at him, stunned by the power that she could see in his glowing midnight blue eyes.

"How long have you been under Uncle Albus, Uncle Severus, and Aunt Gene's guidance!?" He bit out through teeth clinched in leashed fury.

"When I started having migraines again… Poppy and Aunt Gene saw the signs…"

"How long Sabrina!?"

Bree glared up at him through a veil of tears. "Just go away Donavan…I hurt too much…" She choked out.

"Answer the frickin question Sabrina!"

"Fine! Since second year! I had it all neatly bound until November of second year! I started getting the migraines again! Aunt Gene saw the signs and told Uncle Albus! There I answered your stupid question now leave me be!!"

"Son of a Bitch! Son of a frickin bitch! Fate's a charming little bastard ain't it!?" Donavan glared up at the sky.

"What does fate have to do with any of this!?" Bree dropped to her knees onto the soft grass and buried her face in her hands. "Please just go away…" She sobbed.

"We met that November. You and I instantly befriended each other from the moment our eyes met in the Hospital Wing. Gods I was miserable, but all of that went away when you sat beside my bed…" He dropped to his knees beside her.

"You were hurting, confused, and scared. I wanted…no that's not right…I needed to try to make it all better again. I figured if sis could do it then so could I…" Bree sniffled miserably her headache was nearly off the scales.

"You empathically linked with me…breaking through years of carefully erected very necessary walls just to help me readjust to being me again." He pulled her into his arms and she instinctively buried her face against his chest.

"Fine Donavan…you win…I linked with you. My head hurts too much to continue analyzing us right now. I need time for me to center…" She felt her headache slowly ebb until it was just a memory. Her frazzled psyche was balancing itself again as well. "Donavan…" She pulled away from him, so she could look into his eyes. Eyes no longer angry at her, but shining with love and concern.

"We're the same you and I. Two halves of one whole." He cradled her face between his hands and kissed away her tears. "When you hurt, so do I. This works both ways, Babydoll. I can make it all better too. My Mum is a Potion's Master, as well as an empath. My Da heads a division of seers for the Department of Mysteries. So I've been trained to harness my gifts since birth."

"My parents were clueless about everything except for my achieving a Mensa level IQ score at five. Magic didn't even dawn on them until Sissy got her letter on her birthday, by then I was a bundle of energy as well as a pain in their backsides. Bastion and I not only got into everything. We liked to take things apart and put them back together as well. Any thought that we could be just as magically gifted flew out the window. Instead they tried to keep Bastion and I as busy as possible." Bree was emotionally spent and wanted to curl up and take a nap.

Donavan placed his ring back on her finger, then placed a gentle kiss on her brow, before gathering her close to him, and focusing on the sunken couch in Sanctuary's Common Room. His mind set on the destination the two of them vanished from the meadow.

--

Sanctuary

Hermione was coming down the steps that led to the East Wing when Donavan appeared with her sister on the couch. "What happened?" She took in Bree's frail appearance and her tear-stained face. Bree rarely cried that in itself worried her beyond measure.

"Donavan and I were rowing over our stepped over feelings and trust issues, but we've settled that now and all I want to do is nap." Bree's voice was hoarse from crying and their snarling match at each other.

"I linked with her at Marcus and Addison's…"

"Sabrina?"

"It spooked me, but mostly it was about him valuing his best mate's opinions over my own and using that to decide his new career path." Bree answered weakly.

"Then I found out about her big secret."

"Oh?"

"My one year of toddler hell…"

"Oh, Oh," Hermione's eyes widened as it dawned on her what the two of them were referring to. "Yes, I know all about Mum and Dad's nearly disastrous error in judgment and all about your special classes to rein in your gift." Hermione conjured a cool cloth for Bree's forehead.

"More like curse at times…" Bree settled herself in his arms, so she could nap comfortably. "Mine was nothing compared to his nightmare's." She yawned.

"Nightmares?" Hermione arched a brow at Donavan wondering if what had happened to him…the memory of it had ever truly been erased from his subconsciousness. Uncle Albus and First-Grandfather Merlin's spells may not have been as through as they had thought it had been.

"Sorry Donavan…"

"That's all right baby you just close your eyes and nap for a while." He crooned softly. "Yeah, my dreams would make great horror flicks."

"Why do you say that?" Hermione settled herself on the LuvSac.

"Because he's a Wereboy in them…" Bree murmured in her sleep.

"More like were-slave, but yeah that sums it up nicely." Donavan muttered darkly. "There were six of us, me and five muggle boys all treated like pets or slaves…" He couldn't help but see Hermione's face react to his words. "I've had those horror flick dreams four years running and usually just before a full moon."

"Donavan you don't perchance have a photographic memory do you?"

"Yeah I do, but what's that have to do with my nightmares?" He scowled.

"That has to be it then. They bungled that part of their incantations." Hermione was beyond flustered with this turn of events and voiced what she was thinking aloud.

"Whose incantations and what's it got to do with me?" Donavan growled.

"That would be mine and Albus' incantations and they gave you back your life again." Merlin appeared in an overstuffed chair. "You have the sight. I wasn't aware of your gifts all those years ago. Had I been more focused I would have taken that into account when casting my spell."

"You mean that actually happened to me?!" Donavan's blood ran cold.

"Yes, lad, I'm sorry to say. You spent a year in hell, but I gave it back to you and thought Albus had erased all accounts of it from your mind." Merlin was straight with him.

"I suspected it. I mean I've got all the symptoms of having had the serum…"

"Rory, Kane, Lotus, and Mac freed you and those five boys from your hell on earth." Hermione finally found her voice again. "You were taken up to the Hospital Wing and reunited with your family."

"Is there any way for you to take all of this…that year out of my head? I'd like to actually enjoy dreaming again." Donavan growled hoarsely.

"Close your eyes lad and nap with Sabrina. When you awake you'll never have those nightmares or memories of that dark time again." Merlin had come to correct his mistake and was going to do just that.

"Thanks I'd like that very much…" He drifted off to sleep.

"Four years of nightmares…when all he had to do was tell Albus and I then we would have set things right." Merlin sighed in frustration.

"He told Bree, but she kept his secret." Hermione sighed. "She's loyal to a fault. Still I did the same with Harry…"

"You instinctively protected what you knew was yours, which is understandable considering the trying circumstances that you both were under." Merlin got up from his chair, walked over to the two of them, placed a hand on their brows, and focused on the two sleeping teens in front of him. "Oh what fools these mortals be and at such a tender age…She needed guidance not muggle medication! Mattie should have known better…"

"Nana did know better and I vaguely remember her telling them so. I was ten at the time and clueless about the world of magic or what she was trying to tell them. Mum and Dad decided what the doctor prescribed was best. Aunt Mattie was livid about it. I remember her and Bastion spending hours with Bree and then one day she was her curious self-again. It was only when I got my letter that it finally dawned on them that magic had returned to the family tree. Mattie and my parents were at odds for a year until that day, but after that they listened to everything she had to say about me or the twins." She had been clueless until Bree's symptoms started returning during her second year. By then she was well schooled in healing and knew all the signs of someone who had very strong powers of the mind, but was unable to keep it all in balance. "She's all right now though isn't she?"

"The mind is a delicate instrument, Hermione. For those sensitive to everything around them it's like walking a mental high-wire that is unless one is properly taught to harness their gift properly. Bree has been taught by three of the strongest minds of our world, but more is needed. I believe that I'll have Harry work with her." His task completed her focused his attention back on Hermione.

"Why didn't that happen with Bastion or me?"

"You were focused on Harry and Bastion is the stronger of the two of them. Sabrina puts up a convincing front for everyone when in all actuality she's shy and timid inside. She's ultrasensitive to everyone's thoughts and emotions, so linking with Donavan at twelve caused her to open gates sealed for her own sanity, gates that she's never completely been able to lock back up." Merlin calmly explained.

"Just like Harry…"

"Yes, just like Harry's unwanted link with Voldemort, only Bree knew in her subconscious, because they were to be eventual soul mates, that Donavan was not a threat to her and his wounded psyche called to her own. She established that first innocent bond that forged the unbreakable link that they share today."

--

"Mione, we've got two boarders in the new barn…" Harry walked in from the terrace. "Okay what did I miss this time?" He arched a brow at Hermione and Merlin then pointed to the two teens snoozing on the couch.

"The two of them put each other through an emotional wringer this afternoon…"

"Bree can't take emotional upheavals, but then clueless there probably didn't realize it." Harry swore under his breath.

"She finally confided in him about it, after getting her feelings hurt, because Donavan valued his best mate's opinions over her own. This in turn enraged Donnie, because he had already confided to her his own deepest darkest secrets…"

"Oh?"

"The lad still had memories of that terrible year…"

"I thought you and Uncle Albus fixed that…"

"Donavan had total recall, neither of us were aware of that at the time, so it wasn't taken into consideration that his subconsciousness would lock away a mirror image of it in his mind. Albus was tired that evening…" Merlin calmly explained.

"I guess all of us were emotionally spent that night. I should have suspected something when he claimed that he was doing a were-wolf essay for DADA during his third year…He's had four years of nightmares and only confided it to Bree?" Harry swore in parseltounge when they both nodded.

"I've corrected the situation for Donavan. He'll have no more memories or nightmares of that year nor will Sabrina have knowledge of it either." Merlin assured him.

"First-Grandpa wishes for you to work with Bree." Hermione bit down on her bottom lip.

"That's a two-way street. Bree has to want to work with me." Harry sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms.

"Yes, well, between the two of you, I'm certain you'll find a way to persuade her. I'm going to check in on Moon and Night. These two should sleep for a few hours and then wake up in better moods. Bree may just surprise you and ask you to work with her herself." Merlin vanished.

--

"Just the two unicorns? What about Diamond, Joker, Raine, and Tempest?" Hermione snuggled closer to him. "They'll be jealous that Night and Moon are getting special treatment."

Draco and Bastion walked in from the terrace, before he could say anything.

"Two tucked in the barn and four to go. Grandpa Paddy thinks Night will adjust better if his big brothers and their mates are nearby…" Bastion eyed the two on the couch and scowled. "She's been crying again? That's twice in one day…"

"They're fine Sebastian leave them be." Hermione cut him off in midsnarl.

"What they are is a mess. I mean between his constant nightmares and Bree's ultrasensitivity it's a wonder the two of them bonded like they did. I mean Donnie is one of my closest friends, but he's got this obsession about were-wolves. We caught him grumbling in his sleep about not looking at the moon…Not wanting to change again. Granted he's got similar natural abilities, but that don't make him a former werewolf." Bastion snarled in frustration.

"We as in whom Bastion?" Harry growled.

"We as in Sean, Alan, and me on one of our summer campouts during a full moon…" Bastion narrowed his eyes at Harry. "Why? Did something happen to Donnie that you guys covered up with a spell or something?"

"Sit down Sebastian while I call the other two." Harry ordered softly.

"Uncle Albus and First-Grandpa flubbed the spell?" Draco swore under his breath when Harry and Hermione nodded then took out his phone to make the calls.

"Shut up!! No way!!" Bastion's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Donavan actually was a werewolf?!"

"Wereboy, but yes for one year of his life he was Greyback's pet." Harry snarled bitterly.

"The Hospital Wing…He was recovering there in November, but not because of the flu, but…Oh man…He's lucky he's still sane…then Bree…" Bastion swore.

"Bree linked with him the morning after his rescue." Hermione nodded.

"First-Grandpa and Grandma gave him back the year that he had been robbed of. Uncle Albus erased it or so we thought from his mind. Neither was aware that Donavan had total recall memory wise, so a phantom copy of his ordeal remained locked in his subconscious only to emerge in dreams." Harry explained.

"Well then go down to the barn and tell him to fix it!" Bastion snarled.

"Calm yourself Sebastian! First-Grandpa has already done that at least with Bree and Donavan. None of us were aware the three of you were any the wiser about any of this!" Hermione snapped.

"So what's with the sudden page?" Sean appeared in the Common Room.

"You rang?" Alan frowned.

"Thanks little brother."

"Anytime…I'll go help round up the other unicorns." Draco vanished.

"Sit down boys." Harry pointed to the various places to sit. "We need to chat then afterwards you'll be getting your memories altered just like Bree and Donavan."

"Bastion what did ya spill to them?" Sean sat down in an overstuffed chair.

Alan chose the hassock. "Yeah, what'd ya do now and why are we in it up to are necks too?"

"Donavan was a Wereboy for one year of his life. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and Greyback wanted a pet. So for the twelfth year of his life Donnie was in hell as were five muggle boys. The November of your second year Rory, Mac, Kane, and Lotus rescued them during that final battle in the Dark Forest. Uncle Albus sought to help ease him back into things by erasing all memory of that year from his mind. First-Grandpa and Grandma went one further and gave him back that missing year…" Harry began to explain what was what to them.

"Hang on then. Why did he have those nightmares?" Alan frowned.

"I guess even Uncle Albus and Merlin aren't perfect." Sean growled. "He sure as hell did so have recall of his ordeal."

"Donavan has a photographic memory and neither was aware of that at the time." Hermione told them.

"No one is perfect boys and everyone makes mistakes." Harry admired their fierce loyalty towards their friend.

"Fine then fix it or have Merlin fix it!" Sean snapped.

"Yeah, we don't care if he was a Wereboy, but we do care that it's a thorn in his side for him." Alan snarled.

"I did fix it or so I thought. But no matter that's easily corrected." Merlin appeared in the Common Room. "Sean Finnigan you'll awaken in your room none the wiser in four hours time as will you Alan Channing."

The two vanished from the room.

"You Sebastian will awaken in your bed, also none the wiser. You will be focused on Moon, Diamond, and Raine's impending births of their foals." Merlin growled.

Bastion vanished.

"I'm going to do the same with the girls as well, no sense taking any chances." Merlin set off to do just that and vanished from the Common Room.

"So much for our night alone," Hermione sighed in defeat.

"We'll make time now while we have it and focus on the rest later." Harry pulled her to him for a kiss and ported them to their room.

--

Chapter 9

Someone's got a secret

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	9. Someone’s got a secret

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 9

Someone's got a secret

--

Just to let you know that I added to pages to my Tizmagic website one of which is a character list as requested by one of my readers...sorry it took so long to make...enjoy the chapter.

--

Dani sat on Night's back while her Uncle Sebastian and his girlfriend Moria Channing tended to Moon. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine sweetie and so are her little ones." Moria glanced up at her.

"Who we should be seeing very soon, all the signs are pointing to it." Bastion fed Moon a special blend of herbs. "No one's getting any sleep tonight, unless you happen to be Jamie and Rafe."

"Here that handsome? You're hours from being a Daddy." Dani crooned in his ear.

Night whickered nervously.

"That's okay boy. All daddies are nervous about birthin babies. All of my Uncles were and even Daddy was when the boys were born." Dani stroked his neck, as she continued to croon softly to him.

"The foals are in the right position and the diet of herbs that we've been feeding her will aid in the foaling as well." Bastion patted Night's flank.

"If you're nervous then we can always set you up in the next stall." Moria fed him a carrot.

"Unicorns are different from normal Equidae, Moria. Night won't tolerate pacing another stall while his kids are being born." Dani lectured in a cool tone.

"As long as he keeps out-of-the-way then Night is free to stay and Moria knows of the mannerisms of Unicorns little-miss-know-it-all." Bastion plucked her off Night's back and held her upside-down.

"Okay Uncle Bastion!" She squealed with laughter when he started tickling her. "I'm sorry Moria no harm was meant!" She gasped between fits of laughter.

"Sebastian really that's enough." Moria rolled her eyes at him. "She merely thought that I was unaware of that fact. Now let her up before Midnight takes a healthy bite out of your bum."

"Night knows I'm only playing…Don't ya big…guy?" Bastion righted Dani in his arms, turned around, and focused his attention back on the stallion.

Night really looked as if he wished to take a piece out of him.

"Whoa there boy…" He wisely backed a few steps away from him. "I love this Little Bit too pieces…I'd never harm a hair on her head…I swear it."

"I'm fine Night." Dani fished a treat out of the pocket of her romper. "He was only tickling me."

Night nuzzled her hair lovingly before gently nipping the treat from her palm.

"See boy. No harm no foul." Bastion patted his withers.

"Let's go you two." Moria stood just outside the stall. "We've Diamond and Raine to see to next."

"Uncle Wills and Uncle Henry are missing everything." Dani pouted as they left Night and Moon's stall. "Just like when they missed Spirit and Misty's births."

"Not to worry squirt. They'll be here for the main event tonight." Bastion ruffled her hair fondly. "Their evenings are free it's their day schedules that are filled beyond capacity."

"I never wanna get married." Dani grumbled.

"Why Dani whatever made you say something like that?" Moira gaped at her in shock. "It's every little girls dream to someday fall in love and then get married with the guy of their dreams."

"It's too much work and it zaps all the fun out of your life." Dani wrinkled her nose at the very thought of getting married. "Nope, I'm never getting married and that's that."

"Munchkin you're almost five, worry about that when you're twenty or thereabouts okay." Bastion kissed the top of her head.

"I mean it's just crazy when you think about it. All four of them are already married and yet this Royal wedding is like the pinnacle event of their lives." Dani grumbled darkly. "I just don't get how all that wantin ta get all mushy with each other is worth all the headaches."

Moria and Bastion looked at each other with a sort of now-what panic on their faces.

"Um, sweetie, you'll understand all about that when you're much, much older than you are now." Moria worried her bottom lip with her front teeth, praying that she'd take that for an answer, and let sleeping dogs lie.

"Yeah, say when you're I don't know say thirty." Bastion stopped in front of another stall and slid the door open. "Now let's focus on Diamond and Joker."

"Whatever Uncle Bastion," Dani rolled her eyes at the two of them when he set her up on Joker's back. "It's obvious the two of you are as clueless about this as I am. But nice try anyway."

Moria and Bastion wisely said nothing and set about tending to the unicorns.

DJ peered into the stall, his moss green eyes wide with wonder. "Daddy and Uncle Harry said it's okay, cuz I was lookin for Dani, and she's with you."

"Of course it's okay." Bastion plucked him up off his feet and set him next to Dani. "Up ya go DJ while we tend to Joker and Diamond."

"Daddy says that we're gonna get ta see Moon have her baby." DJ chattered excitedly.

"That's the plan little man. Moon will be the first followed by Raine and then Miss Diamond here." Bastion set about grooming her.

"Moon's gonna have twins tonight." Dani grinned.

"Really?" Bastion's eyes got as big as saucers.

"That's right kiddo. She's having twins and all signs point to it happening tonight." Moria smiled at him as she fed Diamond a treat and then her herbs.

"Wicked cool! So, that's why Daddy and Uncle Harry are putting up the tent near the barns." DJ was beyond pleased.

"Yeah, so we can keep an eye on Moon and the others." Bastion never tired of being around the little ones nor did Moria.

"My momma's gonna have twins too, but she's keeping it a secret from Daddy, cuz she wants ta play in the World Cup next weekend." DJ bit down on his lip.

"Mine's in top form again and more than ready to fill her spot if you're Dad grounds her." Dani announced.

"Out of the mouths of babes…" Bastion gaped openmouthed at them. "It's just one zinger after another today."

"Um…DJ are you sure about that?" Moria couldn't believe that Ginny would take a risk like that and thought that DJ had misinterpreted what he had seen or heard.

"Uh huh," DJ nodded. "She was in the big bathroom with the huge tub pacing in front of the counter and glaring at this clear bottle of potion on it. Then when it turned pink she started muttering and stuff, saying what Daddy didn't know won't hurt him, until after the World Cup. I'd come to tell her about my dreams, but after that I just kinda left."

"Okay…" Bastion stowed the brush that he'd been using on Diamond in his back pocket, so he could rake his fingers through his hair. "So she turned the potion, uh, pink. What makes you so set on her having twins instead of just one little one?" He forced his tone to remain neutral even though he and Moria were now sitting on a volatile powder keg of a secret that would very well cause a rift of momentous proportions when it broke.

"I saw them in one of my dreams this morning. There were twin girls named, uh, Sami and Rena or somethin like that and they were chasing after Rafe and Jamie." DJ confided his dream to them. "Oh and both momma and Aunt Mione were big again too."

"Wow DJ you're getting really good at seeing things." Dani hugged him and he blushed.

"I should be after all those lessons and stuff." He acted as if it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Yes, yes, your lessons are providing smashing results. Now about what you walked in on…" Bastion got straight to the point with him. "Are you going to keep it a secret from your father or not?"

"Sebastian Alexander! What in the name of Mab are you doing?" Moria planted her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"Yes, Uncle Sebastian. DJ's troubled enough about this as it is." Dani narrowed her eyes at her uncle.

"I donno what ta do! I'm four!" DJ felt torn between doing the right thing and upsetting his momma. "Daddy has the right ta know, but momma's pining to play in the Cup."

"Daddy grounded Momma at two months into carrying my brothers. If Aunt Ginny isn't that far along then Uncle Draco might just let her play. I mean it's a slim chance mind you, but it's still a chance." Dani brainstormed the problem aloud.

"Do ya really think so?" DJ asked hopefully.

"Look, the fact is that Gin is expecting and odds are that Draco will go into protective mode major and forbid her from playing the match." Moria dashed his hopes.

"It don't matter either way I'm doomed." DJ groaned.

"No kiddo, but you are caught up in a secret of monumental proportions." Bastion plucked him from Joker for a cuddle.

"Or you can act all innocent angel, like I did at Christmas or like Uncle MJ did with Grandpa. You see that way your mum never knows you heard or saw anything this morning." Dani came up with a brilliant solution to his problem.

Moria awarded her by plucking her off Joker's back for a cuddle. "That's an absolutely smashing idea sweetie."

"Yes, brilliant thinking, angel face." Bastion grinned.

"You want me ta lie?" Bastion was even more confused. "I'm not supposed ta lie."

"No silly." Dani blew her bangs out of her eyes in frustration. "You dreamed about them before you learned her secret, so it's not a lie. It's just their beyond brilliant son having a dream vision and nothing more."

"Dani's right. It's only natural for you to be curious about what you saw." Bastion nodded.

"So it's not really lying then is it?" DJ felt as if this massive weight had lifted from his shoulders.

"No little man it's most definitely not lying." Moria winked at him.

"I'm too little for stuff like this." DJ groaned.

"Don't worry DJ. I'll be around if you need me." Dani promised him.

--

Later that afternoon by the pool

Draco sat on one of the double loungers watching over the little ones playing in the pool. "Uh Peaches? Did you see the way DJ and Dani were acting during lunch?"

"The two of them are both excited about getting to see the unicorn foaling tonight." Ginny smoothed lotion over her still toned middle, very much aware of the tiny secrets she carried inside her. "So perhaps DJ and Dani are saving up all of their energy for that," She handed him the bottle of lotion.

"Since when are both of them such big fans of drinking milk?" Draco set about lotioning her back for her.

"It's probably because they're going through a healthy phase, so now everyone needs to drink milk because it does good things for the body." Ginny now that he had finished lotioning her back settled back against the lounge for a nap.

"If you say so Peaches, but they went as far as asking if everyone took their vitamins at breakfast of all things and add to that requesting a veggie for lunch that neither of them like. It's just weird." Draco had never seen them act that way unless something was up.

"Dragon, they're four and nearly five and are bound to go through phases..." Ginny frowned when both Dani and DJ got out of the pool to run over and drag an umbrella over to shade her from the sun and then went to dive back into the water and play.

"A phase centered on you?" Draco arched a single blonde brow at her.

"What?"

"Nothing Peaches, it's just fascinating how protective DJ and Dani have suddenly gotten around you that's all." Draco settled back on the lounge with her snuggled in his arms.

"He's just protective like his daddy. Now as for Dani, well, she's a constant surprise." Ginny drifted off to sleep.

--

"What's up with you and DJ?" Ally cornered her in the pool.

"Yes, Dani, what are you two up to now?" Mia frowned.

"Yeah and what's it have ta do with Aunt Gin?" Tyler also wanted to know what was what.

"We had ta eat broccoli." Ryan his twin brother scowled.

"We hate broccoli." Tyler echoed his twin.

"It's good for you." Dani, who herself wasn't a big broccoli fan, growled back.

"Since when do you eat broccoli even with cheese sauce on it?" Ally sensed that she was hiding something.

"You usually sneak it under-the-table to Rad, or Lady." Mia narrowed her eyes at her.

"Um…Moria told us ta eat some veggies or we couldn't see the foaling." DJ finally said something.

"Yeah, well, ya got the parents ta include us too." Ryan scowled.

"Now they're gonna expect us ta eat our veggies all the time." Tyler grumbled.

"Sorry boys, but I'm not missing the foaling because of a dislike for broccoli." Dani hated being cornered and vanished from that spot only to appear on the other side of the pool.

"Yeah, what she said." DJ mirrored her actions.

"That's soooo not the reason," Ally scowled. "She's obviously up to something."

"They both are." Mia agreed.

"Those two are always into something." Tyler frowned.

"Yeah, what's new about that?" Ryan agreed.

"Yes, but this something involves Aunt Ginny and it's big enough to get her and DJ to eat their least favorite veggies." Mia narrowed her eyes at DJ and Dani, taking turns on the slide.

"You mean like her secret about the boys?" Ally's eyes widened at the thought that this was that big of a secret.

"I don't know…" Mia looked over at her Aunt and Uncle. "Maybe…"

"Look it's like this…" Tyler began.

"We don't got much choice, but ta…" Ryan continued.

"Let things play out." Tyler and Ryan swam towards the slide.

"Girls?" Draco got up to see why they had been in a huddle in the shallow end of the pool.

"Yes, Uncle Draco?" Mia and Ally swam over to him.

"What's going on?" Draco knelt down in front of them.

"Nothing Uncle Draco," Ally smiled up at him.

"We were talking about the foaling." Mia blinked innocently up at him.

"That was an awfully serious chat about such a happy topic." Draco arched a brow in inquiry. "Now what were you really chatting about."

"We're just puzzled why Dani and DJ…" Ally began.

"Are acting so strange and asked them about it." Mia finished.

"You and me both girls," Draco was even more perplexed about Dani and DJ now. "So if you figure it out clue me in."

"We will Uncle Draco." Ally blinked up at him.

"Can we go play now?" Mia sighed.

"Sure girls. Just keep an eye on them for me." Draco was beginning to think that something was up with Dani and DJ and it had nothing to do with the foaling or phases.

"Sure Uncle Draco we'll spy on them for you." The girls swam off towards the slide.

"Draco you're losing it." He berated himself. _I mean it get a grip. You're having your nearly five-year-old nieces spying for you… over probably nothing._

"Marcus sprang us early." Donavan was carrying Bree over his shoulder. "So, we thought we'd come down to the pool and watch over the little ones."

"Donnie don't you dare throw me in that pool!" Bree pounded on his back.

"I won the bet babe. Now you Babydoll are gonna have to pay the price." Donnie grinned.

"You cheated by ringing Lord Cooper!"

"Not true. I had some valid questions about details for the design, so the call was necessary." Donnie walked around to the deep end of the pool.

"Sabrina what did you do now?" Bastion walked up to the pool with Moria, both were looking forward to some downtime in the pool with the kids.

"Bree? It could just as well have been Donnie." Moria countered.

"He cheated on a bet that we made this morning and now Donavan thinks that because he may have won said wager that he's going to collect by tossing me into the pool." Bree shoved her hair out of her face and glared at her brother, as if she wished to call down a lightning bolt at his feet. "You're my brother do something!"

"Nah, you've always been a sore loser, but why the wager about water?" Bastion frowned.

"She tossed me in the lake with a conjured twister, so I thought it only fair that I return the favor." Donavan growled.

"She called up a twister on your arse?" Draco whistled low under his breath.

"Yeah, but not before she conjured lightning, and a dark cloud over my head first." Donavan nodded.

"You soooo deserved it for taking Bastion and your other mates opinion over my own." Bree growled. "Then you go and trick me into agreeing to the stupid bet this morning, before I've even had my first cup of tea."

"I simply stated that I would have three possible designs by end of day and since she's still blocked, she bet me that I couldn't. I told her that she was on and that her losing the bet would be that I got to toss her into the lake this evening." Donavan resisted the urge to swat her one on her backside and explained what was what instead. "She's lucky that I'm choosing the pool instead." He situated her in his arms, so he was holding her. "Plug your nose Babydoll."

"Donnie!!" Bree shrieked as he jumped into the pool.

"Why the hell not," Bastion scooped Moria up into his arms.

"Bastion don't you…" It was too late he jumped in.

The six little ones converged on the teens and it was an all-out pool fight.

--

"Harry?" Draco having left the teens to watch the younger ones went in search of his big brother.

"Yeah, little brother what's up?" Harry, who was getting the outdoor kitchen ready for the cookout, glanced up at his brother.

"Have you noticed anything odd about Dani and DJ today?" Draco asked casually.

"You mean besides their sudden craving for a veggie that they detest?" Harry checked the grill which he'd fired up before going back inside to tend to the boys with Hermione. "Not really no…" He measured out sheets of aluminum foil with which to wrap the potato's and ears of corn. "Why did they do anything else?"

"That's just the thing. DJ's highly protective of Gin as is Dani. We were lounging in the double lounge. Gin was curling up for a nap. The two of them raced out of the pool to drag one of the umbrellas over to shade us, and then jumped back into the pool again." Draco picked up a carrot stick to munch on from the snack tray of healthy finger food that Harry had set out on the counter for the kids.

"What'd Gin say about it?" Harry arched a curious brow at him.

"She says that they're going through a healthy phase and just to roll with it." Draco paced in the front of the deck.

"Maybe DJ's overheard the two of you chatting about his possible future siblings?" Harry suggested, as he set about wrapping up ears of corn and the potatoes in foil, and then set them on the top rack of the massive outdoor grill.

Draco smirked at Harry. "So you think that they think Gin's pregnant with the girls?"

"Or maybe DJ had a dream vision about them, but either way you cast it, yeah I do." Harry chuckled highly amused at this turn of events.

"It's not funny." Draco himself was laughing.

"What's not funny?" Ron walked out the back door of the kitchen with a tray loaded with stuff for the grill.

"DJ and Dani are under the assumption that Gin's expecting the girls and are being overly protective around her." Harry once again had to smother his laughter.

"Yeah, it was pretty obvious at lunch." Ron chuckled then shot Draco an inquiring look. "So any chance its true?

"No, it's not true at least not yet anyway," Draco got a bottle of Guinness out of the outdoor fridge, popped the cap, and then downed half of it. "We agreed that we'd wait until after the Cup."

"Luna's expecting a girl in February. We officially found out about it this morning." Ron had been bursting to tell them about the news.

"Congrat's Mate," Harry handed him a Guinness.

"Yeah, that's great news." Draco saluted him with his bottle and drank to the happy news.

--

DJ raced up the deck steps and came skidding to a halt in front of them. "Momma's thirsty."

"That's easily corrected." Harry smiled down at him. "What would she like?"

"She wants a Butterbeer, but juice is better for her. So I'll bring her some juice instead." DJ went and got a bottle of juice from the fridge and headed back the way he came.

"DJ?" Draco called after him.

DJ turned to look at him with expressive green eyes. "Yes Daddy?"

"Is something troubling you?" Draco jumped down off the deck landing effortlessly in front of his son.

"No Daddy." DJ stared down at his feet.

"It's okay son." Draco knelt down in front of him. "You can talk to me about anything."

"I know daddy." DJ's solemn moss green eyes met loving gray ones.

"So little dragon what's up with you today?" Draco kept his tone soft and gentle. "It's okay. Whatever it is I promise that I won't be mad."

DJ stared intently into his fathers eyes. "I don't want Momma to play in the Cup next weekend."

"Oh?" Draco's brows rose in surprise, he hadn't been expecting anything close to that. "Why's that son?"

"Um…because the Vultures are mean and Momma could get hurt." DJ sniffled.

"The Cup is being played on the Isle of Avalon this time son. They'll have to play a fair match. Your mum will be fine next weekend." He brushed away a tear on DJ's cheek with the pad of his thumb. "No worries okay kiddo."

"I had a bad dream about it and don't want Momma ta play." DJ was mad that his Daddy wasn't taking him seriously.

"DJ not all dreams turn out to be visions…" Draco tried to pull him into his arms for a hug, but DJ scrambled backwards out of his reach.

"IT WAS BAD! MOMMA GOT HIT IN THE TUMMY WITH A BLUDGER!" He angrily shouted out the details of the dream at him. "THEY TOOK HER AWAY TO BIG HOSPITAL! EVERYONE WAS SAD!! YOU WEREN'T JUST SAD, BUT MAD TOO…I DON'T WANT HER TO PLAY!!" Before Draco could stop him he raced off towards the tree house in tears.

"Darien James, let's talk about it okay!" Draco shouted after him.

--

Ginny having felt her son's emotional turmoil rushed up from the pool to check on him. "What in Mab's name did you do to upset him like that?" She narrowed her eyes at Draco.

"It's not really me that he's upset about. It's you." Draco was at a loss about how to handle this situation with his son.

"Me? Whatever do you mean by that?" Ginny bristled.

"It's simple, but then again it's not." Draco raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "DJ doesn't want you to play in the Cup next weekend."

"Why?" Ginny was floored by Draco's answer. "What happened to make him not wish me to play?"

"It's like this. DJ had a bad dream that spooked him. In this dream you end up getting hit in the tummy by a bludger, sent to St. Mungo's, and evidently everyone's really sad. But, for some reason I'm both angry and sad. That's all I got from him before he raced off to brood in the tree house." Draco was completely honest with her.

Ginny had to stop herself from unconsciously putting a hand to her middle. _He knows about the girls, but how is that even possible?_

Harry narrowed his eyes at his little sister of sorts. "Ginevra Molly Elizabeth that little guy is beyond worried sick about something and you damn well know why!"

"That's not fair Harry and against the rules!" Ginny glared at him.

"Not if you're so loud that I can easily read you it isn't." Harry slammed the steaks onto the surface of the hot grill. "Now explain why in the name of magic would you getting hit in the tummy by a bludger make everyone sad or Draco off the charts?"

"Answer the question, baby sis!" Ron ordered sharply.

"Yes, Ginevra Molly Elizabeth, answer his question!" Draco already knew the answer, but wanted her to say it first.

"BECAUSE AUNT GINNY IS GONNA HAVE TWINS NAMED SAMI AND SERENA AND SHE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW BECAUSE THEN SHE CAN'T PLAY IN HER FIRST WORLD CUP NEXT WEEKEND!!" A beyond furious Dani appeared in front of them.

"Dani!!" Harry, Ron, and Draco gaped at her.

"IT'S TRUE! DJ DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT HIS NIGHTMARE, BUT HE DID TELL ME ALL ABOUT SOME POTION GOING FROM CLEAR TO PINK! HE DID CONFIDE IN ME ABOUT HIS DREAM WHERE HIS SISTERS ARE CHASING AFTER MY BABY BROTHERS AND BOTH MUMMY AND AUNT GINNY ARE PREGNANT IN IT!" Dani glared up at her Aunt. "AUNT GINNY, YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR CAULDRON CAKES AND EAT THEM TOO! DJ IS HURTING BECAUSE OF YOU NOW FIX IT!" She screamed up at Gin before stalking off towards the tree house.

Draco glared down at his wife. "Is what Dani just screamed at us true?!"

"Draco…"

"WELL IS IT?!" He reined in the urge to shake her. "ANSWER THE GODDAMN QUESTION! YES OR NO!?"

"Dani doesn't lie, so that answer is obvious, and she didn't jinx the tar out of her which makes it a given." Harry muttered darkly.

"Yeah, but she has to say it to him first." Ron muttered back.

"I just found out this morning…" She whimpered shakily.

"YES OR NO!!"

"Yes!! The potion turned pink!" She burst into tears when Draco stalked off towards the tree house. "Draco please don't be like that…" She sobbed.

"YOU KNOW WHAT GINERVA?! DON'T TALK TO ME RIGHT NOW! DON'T LOOK AT ME! JUST STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME FOR A WHILE!" Draco turned to roar that at her before continuing to the tree fort.

--

"You're off the team effective immediately! Hermione is back in top form, so she can easily, and will happily take her place back on the team!" Harry pointed at the LuvSac on the deck. "Lie down and nap until dinners ready!"

"I wasn't thinking clearly…" She sobbed.

"It's beyond obvious that thinking wasn't on your agenda! Now go over there and lie down or am I gonna have to put you there myself!" Ron snarled at her.

"What on Earth is going on out here? You woke the boys!" Hermione appeared outside on the deck with a baby in each arm, both of whom were angrily sucking on pacifiers.

"Ginny was gonna play in the Cup regardless of the fact that she's expecting her girls. DJ's beyond upset at her, because he knew her secret and told Dani, who's ready to fry her tail feathers. Draco, having just learned all of this, is red-line furious with her. Oh, here's the real kicker the little guy had two dreams, one nice future vision not unlike the one I had that summer of seventh year, only the girls are chasing after our boys. Then there's the nightmare vision where Gin plays the Cup, gets hit in the tummy with a bludger, sent to St. Mungo's where everyone is sad, and Draco is off the scales emotion wise because obviously she miscarries the twins!" Harry bit out the facts to Hermione through teeth clinched in fury. "We're all beyond disappointed in her right now and that's what woke the boys."

"I'm sorry! I wasn't…" Ginny's stomach began to roll violently and she raced into the house.

"Ron, please watch the boys." Hermione ordered softly.

"Come here guys. You can hang with us for a while. You see your mum is gonna go skin my sis alive." Ron was an expert at juggling two at once and easily cuddled them in his arms.

"Not quite, but by Mab do I feel like it." Hermione stalked back into the house. "Ginny you and I are going to chat about your priorities!!" Her snarl echoed inside the house and filtered outside onto the deck.

--

Meanwhile in the tree house

DJ was beyond upset and bawling his eyes out next to Dani. "I CAN'T HELP IT! I DON'T WANT MOMMA TO GET HURT! EVERYONE WAS SO SAD AND DADDY WAS SCARY MAD AT HER AND WOULDN'T EVEN LET ME SEE HER!!"

"DJ it's gonna be okay…" Dani tried to do what her parents did all the time, make it all better using empathy, something that she wasn't even close to being able to use yet. The result of her attempt was a backlash from his off the scale emotions that was staggering to her own frail psyche and she very nearly blacked out from the sheer emotional force of it.

"NO!! I'VE RUINED EVERYTHING, BUT I DON'T CARE! IT WAS WHAT I HAD TO DO TO KEEP MOMMA AND MY BABY SISTERS SAFE!" DJ was getting past his misery. Moving on to being furious with his mum for not being honest with his Daddy and making him have to make it right or at least he had tried his best to make it right again.

"Adults do stupid things sometimes, but then so do we, and we can't fault them forever for it. All we can do is try to make it right again." Dani's headache was off the scales and she felt something warm and sticky trickling from her nose. She reached up to touch her nose to see what it was. "Oh cripes…this soooo can't be good. My nose is bleeding." She looked down at her scarlet stained fingers.

DJ scooted away from her, so he could get a better look at what she was talking about. "Yeah, it's really starting ta bleed a lot…" He went from furious with his parents to terrified for Dani in less than a second. "Um here…" He peeled off his t-shirt and held it up to her nose. "Maybe this will help stop it…um tilt your head back…and pinch your nose it's what Uncle Bastion did when he got hit in the nose at that match."

Dani pinched her nose and tilted her head backwards to try to stop it. "It's not working…" She whimpered as the t-shirt turned an alarming shade of scarlet.

"DJ are you calmed down enough to talk now?" Draco stepped into their fort and all thought of talking with his son flew out the window, as soon as he saw the two of them trying desperately to stem the flow of Dani's nosebleed.

"Oh, angel, you didn't try to make him all better did you?" Draco asked softly in a calm soothing tone, as he conjured something to place on her nose.

Dani nodded. "He was hurting I wanted to help…"

"Hold that to your pinched nose and keep your head back and we'll get you down from here. DJ quick as you can climb up onto my back." He scooped her up and as soon as he felt DJ wrap his arms around his neck vanished from the fort.

Harry felt that something was off with Dani and was about to go find out when Draco appeared on the deck with Dani in his arms. "What happened?!" He raced over to him.

"She tried to help me feel better and her nose started bleedin really bad." DJ whimpered shakily.

"I wanted to help him…" Dani whimpered.

"Oh baby, you're way too little for magic like that." Harry took her from Draco, so he could sit down with her on a double lounge.

"She beyond overtaxed her system." Draco now had DJ cuddled in his arms.

"Yeah, I know…" Harry kept her head tilted back, pinched it gently with his thumb and forefinger, and focused on stopping the bleeding. "Easy baby girl, it's gonna be all right."

"Dani!" Hermione appeared on the deck with her Healers bag in her hands. "Oh baby, what did you do?" She sat down on the lounge and opened her bag to get something to stop her nosebleed.

"She tried to be like her Mummy." Harry replaced the cloth on her nose with a new one. "And it backfired on her."

"Well, of course it did. She's not ready nor can her system handle attempting magic of that scale." Mab and Merlin appeared on the deck.

"It's not bleeding as much now, but it still isn't stopping." Hermione tried two or three different methods, but none seemed to do the trick.

"See Mia!" Ally raced up steps leading up to the main deck. "I told you that we shouldn't have let her out of our sight!"

"She's really, really, bleeding…Ally that's not good." Mia raced passed her and over to the lounge.

"Dani, you didn't try to be like Mummy did you?" Ally bit down on her lip, as she stared down at her beyond miserable sister.

"Girls let's not dwell on her mistake, but instead fix what needs mending." Merlin growled.

"Now let's see what you did." Mab placed her palm on Dani's warm forehead, closed her eyes, and focused on mending whatever she'd made go awry. "There now little one that should make you feel a slight bit better." She crooned down at her miserable many-great-granddaughter.

Sure enough much to everyone's relief her nose had finally stopped bleeding.

"My tummy doesn't feel so good…" Dani felt sick to her stomach.

Harry knowing exactly what was up vanished from the lounge, as did Hermione, while her sisters raced into the house.

--

"Now what in all that's magic caused this mess in the first place?" Merlin took Rafe from Ron.

"Yes, why did she have to make DJ all better?" Mab took Jamie.

"Momma lied and it got all messed up." DJ grumbled.

"Come on little man let's get you cleaned up." Draco walked into the house.

"Would you please elaborate Ronald?" Merlin growled.

"Ginny's pregnant and regardless of that fact was gonna play in the Cup next weekend. She wasn't gonna tell anyone about it until after the match. DJ discovered her secret, but had dream visions too. One was a nightmare where Gin gets hurt at the match. She takes a bludger to tummy, gets rushed to St. Mungo's, and then Draco is beyond furious as well as sad while everyone else is just sad." Ron, as he gave them the gist of the situation, worked the grill.

"She and I are going to have a chat." Mab stalked into the house.

"Anyways... Draco was suspicious, because DJ and Dani were acting all protective and health conscious especially around Gin. So he asked DJ what was up. DJ took a while, but finally spilled his feelings on the matter, never once mind you saying that Gin was pregnant. Ginny comes up all innocent wishing ta know about why her baby boy was upset. Draco tells her what DJ told him. She goes all pale. Harry picks up on her little secret and calls her on it. The three of us demand an answer; of course Gin's backpedaling the whole time. Dani appears in front of all of us beyond furious that DJ is upset. She proceeds to fill in all the blanks for us then goes to tend to DJ. Gin goes all vulnerable and teary, but Draco's not having any of it. Now as soon as she admits everything to him he stalks off to see about DJ. Gin gets kicked off the team by Harry. Hermione gets cheesed off at all of us for waking the boys. Harry tells her all. Ginny goes all hysterical, until the girls make her go worship the loo. I got to watch the boys and Hermione left to go see to Gin." Ron finished off the remaining details of what happened for Merlin.

"So much for a nice cookout tonight, while we await the births of Moon's foals," Bastion had come in search of the kids and couldn't help but overhear everything that had just happened. "Uh, what's with all the blood soaked stuff? Did one of the kids get hurt?"

"Dani overtaxed her mind and the result was a severe nosebleed that my beloved corrected as soon as we arrived." Merlin cuddled Rafe against his shoulder and was trying to get him back to sleep again.

"Sorry I'm so late. The bureaucrats were droning on and on about the Coronation Ball. Yapping endlessly about final details for both the wedding and the coronation blah, blah, blah…" Luna's chattering trailed off when she spotted the blood soiled child's t-shirt and cloths. "Who's hurt? Is it the boys? I would have sensed them…"

Ron walked over and pulled her into his arms. "Shh baby the boys are fine and playing in the pool with Donnie, Bree, Moria, and by the sounds of things the dogs and pups joined in as well."

"Yeah, Fluff's loving the pool right now as are Rad, Lady, and their pups." Bastion not one for charred food went over to work the grill.

"Then is it DJ or one of the girls?" Luna bit down on her lip in fright.

"Is what DJ or the girls?" Rory, Dromi, Wills, and Henry had also arrived.

"Someone is hurt and Ronald is pussyfooting around me, because I'm expecting our daughter, and he doesn't wish me to get upset!" Luna wanted answers and not to be coddled, so she shoved him away from her with her mind. "Start talking Ronald Bilius Arthur Weasley or AK'd you will be!" She pointed her wand at him.

"Whoa, calm down moonflower! It's not like that at all…" Ron eyed her warily; she'd never had this violent of a mood swing when she was carrying the boys. "No need for taking me out of commission for a few days."

"Well, little brother, start talking." Wills was not pleased that one of the girls or DJ was hurt

"Draco and Ginny had a row over something she's been hiding from him. DJ discovered her secret and it's been eating at him all-day. Draco called him on it. DJ got upset…no beyond upset…no off the scales upset and ran off to brood in the tree house. Dani wasn't pleased about it and let Gin have it, before going off to see about DJ…"

"Oh no… she didn't..." Dromi eyed him in alarm. "Ron please tell me that she didn't…"

"Try to be like Momma? Oh yeah, in spades…" Ron nodded.

"She found herself with a severe nosebleed because of it." Merlin growled softly. He held up one hand to halt their frantic flood of questions. "That has been corrected by my better half. The other major aftereffect caused by the backlash is being nauseous, so Harry, Hermione, and her sisters are tending to her inside, most likely in the lavatory adjoining her room. My Mab is checking on Ginny. There's no need for any more alarm." He got rid of the soiled rags and T-shirt, as if to say this conversation is over.

"I'll finish Dinner." Henry went over to the outdoor kitchen area to see what had yet to be done.

"So Gin's pregnant as well?" Wills frowned.

Ron nodded.

"She wasn't going to tell anyone was she?" Rory guessed.

Again Ron answered this time with a shake of his head no.

"That's complete and utter nonsense and she knows better than that." Dromi was beyond not pleased with her.

"Quidditch is not more important than her girls. No wonder Draco is over the line furious with her and DJ poor little guy was torn between the two." Luna narrowed her eyes at the house. "I'll give her an earful all right." She marched inside with Dromi on her heels.

"Great Grandada," Daisy appeared on the deck with her six-month-old baby brother Brandon in her arms. She was nearly eleven now and very much the younger image of her mum with sunny blonde waist length hair and sparkling blue eyes. "Da says that Moon is ready to foal and sent me to go and get Bastion. Moria is already there and Binky just arrived too with her cameras and stuff."

Bastion let out a whoop and then vanished.

"He's a proud papa." Rory giggled.

"Yes, well, he's known Moon and Night since they were foals themselves." Merlin set Rafe in Rory's arms. "I'll go tell James and the others about what happened. Lily, no doubt even as faraway as the Isle, picked up her kid's distress." He vanished.

"Where are Ally, Mia, DJ, and Dani?" Daisy sensed that something was up.

"Dani's a little under the weather right now…"

Daisy walked over and held Bran up for Wills to cuddle. "Bran is crawling now, so if he starts fussing just set him down on the grass. Mama's already fed and changed him, so he'll most likely just be wishin to crawl, but don't be surprised if he gets sneaky and calls the animals over to him ta play."

"Not gonna take Wills word are you?" Rory gave her a knowing look.

"Well, you're not telling me anything, so I'm gonna go see what's up myself." Daisy vanished in a flurry of what else daisies.

"Well, she told us…" Wills chuckled.

"They are here and look he's got Brandon." Ally stepped outside and her eyes lit up with delight when she saw her Aunt, Uncles, and baby cousin.

"That means Xander and Daisy are here too." Mia noticed the scattered flowers on the deck.

"Daisy will cheer up Dani." Ally went to coo at her cousin. "Oh, he's so adorable."

Rafe started fussing in Rory's arms.

"Don't worry little brother you're beyond adorable too." Ally and Mia giggled.

--

Dani was tucked into bed feeling utterly miserable. "I wanna see the foaling." She sniffled.

"Oh sweetie, I know, but you're stuck in bed for the night." Hermione, who was laying beside her, crooned.

"Who's in bed for the night?" Daisy appeared in the bubble chair in the reading corner of her room, causing the room to smell like fresh daisies.

"Hi Daisy," Dani pouted. "I'm stuck in bed." Her voice was as weak as a newborn kitten.

"She tried to heal, no soothe is the better term, DJ's frazzled emotions and it backfired on her." Harry, who also holding her, explained what had happened to Dani to Daisy.

"So, that's why DJ's tuckered out in Draco's arms on the Common Room couch." Daisy scooped Pepper up in her arms. "I didn't see Gin though."

"Gin's the reason DJ got upset." Hermione growled not pleased with Gin at the moment.

"DJ worships his momma to bits. What'd she do to bungle things up? Hide something uber cosmic from Draco?" Daisy frowned.

"Oh yeah, you could say that in spades." Harry nodded.

"Aunt Gin's pregnant and was gonna keep it hush-hush until after the World Cup." Dani croaked weakly.

"Oh, Oh!" Daisy's cornflower blue eyes widened as big as saucers, as she factored in the possible outcomes of such a secret. "DJ found out didn't he."

"Try that and having dreams about it." Dani felt sick to her stomach again and wriggled in her parents arms. "I'm gonna be sick again…"

Harry ported them to the bathroom just in time for her to get sick in the loo. "This is why you're stuck in bed tonight. You're still feeling the effects of the backlash." Harry bathed her face with a cool cloth.

"I'll go get Great-grandmama." Daisy, who hated being sick herself, sought out the one whom she knew could make it all better and vanished.

"Here baby try to drink some of this potion." Hermione prepared a dose of something to soothe her tummy.

Dani wrinkled her nose at the potion, which was electric blue in color. "That looks yucky mummy."

"Not everything that makes you feel better tastes satisfactory. Now down the hatch." Hermione put the vial to her lips.

"Open up sweetie, it'll help your tummy." Harry ordered softly.

Dani reluctantly opened her mouth and Hermione fed her the potion that she reluctantly swallowed. "Yucky!" She gagged. "How is that gross stuff supposed to…" She wasn't able to keep it down and threw up all the medicine, until she had nothing left in her tummy. "Well that was all for naught." She whimpered.

"Second times the charm, but we'll wait until your tummy settles a bit." Hermione produced another vial of potion and Dani buried her face against her father's chest.

"Ginny's tucked in the Dragon guest suite for the night and is under strict orders to stay in bed. She's finding that her rash decision is not satisfactory with Luna or Dromi either." Mab breezed into the bathroom with Daisy on her heels. "So, now that I've tended to Ginevra and settled Jamie back to sleep in his crib, what's this I hear about Dani being in misery?"

"She's throwing up and stuff, Great-Gran." Daisy was worried sick about her cousin.

"It's to be expected little one. Your cousin tried to perform serious magic and it severely backfired on her. The first sign is a headache, next comes the nosebleed, followed by an upset stomach, and being weak as a baby kitten for a few days. Her frail system needs to right itself again and that takes time." Mab lectured Daisy, as she conjured a beaker of powder pink potion in her hand.

"Days…I'm gonna be stuck in bed for days?" Dani moaned in misery, as she got sick again.

"Attempting serious magic does not come without a price. Had you continued to try to help, Darien James, you would have done far worse damage." Mab measured out a dose of potion. "Now open up."

Dani reluctantly did as ordered and let her feed her the peppermint flavored potion. "Worse than…" Nope that wasn't gonna stay down either and up it came. "Yuck…this?" She gagged.

"Aye, little lass, you could have put yourself in a deep comatose state for a week if not more." Mab measured out another dose of potion. "Let's try this again." She fed her the second dose of potion, which stayed down at least for the time being anyway.

"Like I was after I fought with Voldemort?" Harry cuddled Dani closer to him.

"That is precisely what I mean." Mab walked over to the counter in Dani's bathroom and set a series of various pastel colored potions on the counter. "We'll see if that stays down then she'll need a dose of each of these potions every four hours. I've left a weeks worth, so I hope she'll be well on her way to being our little hummingbird again by weeks end." She turned to show Harry and Hermione what needed to be done about her treatment.

"You might want to make it two weeks worth just to be on the safe side. Our Dani isn't one to take medicine on the first go." Hermione focused on Dani's treatment to get her better again and not on what might have been.

"Mummy, I'm not a baby! I'll take my medicine."

"That you will little lass for these potions are very pleasing to the palate." Mab sensed her grandson's excitement. "Xander is excited for Moon is ready to have her foals."

"Harry, they'll need you there to soothe Night." Hermione murmured softly in is ear.

"I know, but Dani…"

"I'm fine Daddy. Go help Moon and Night. They're worried about me and that's not good for her or the babies." Dani whimpered up at him.

"I'll watch over Dani." Hermione took her from him. "Go. We'll be fine." Hermione kissed his cheek.

"All right I'll go, but I'll be back after the foaling and everything is settled in the barn." Harry kissed Hermione, then Dani on the forehead, and vanished.

"Daisy go see them too. I need you to be there for them in my place…" Dani was exhausted.

"I will and I'll fill you in on everything later…I promise." Daisy vanished.

"This having power and everything isn't any fun anymore." Dani yawned, as her mother got her settled back in her bed.

"Little one, all of us do not warn you young ones just to hear ourselves talk. Boundaries are set for good reason and when one buffets those boundaries a price is paid, so you do not try that level of magic again. Natural magic is the most powerful magic of all and until you're older something that you mustn't dabble with even for the best of causes." Mab lectured her, as she conjured a stuffed dragon for her to cuddle.

"Yes Great-Grams." Dani drifted off to sleep.

Rory peaked into her room. "Rafe is settled in his crib blissfully sleeping the eve away." She whispered softly. "Wills and Henry are helping Ron finish everything for the cookout. No news on the foals, but most of the family is pacing in front of the barn."

"Thanks for the update, Rory. I'm settled in here with Dani for the evening." Hermione had her daughter cuddled close to her.

"She gave us a scare, but all will be well in a few days." Mab had curled up on the window seat of Dani's room and was working on some needlepoint.

"Draco's on a tear about it. Gin really bungled things up with him and DJ. The whole trust issue was blown sky-high." Rory had hoped for a quite evening with the family after her day of endless royal headaches, but life was never truly dull at home either. "All that matters in the end is the munchkins are going to be fine and Gin's grounded to the earth for the next eight months or so."

"Spoken like a future Queen." Mab smiled

--

Chapter 10

Someone's hidden within

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	10. Someone’s hidden within

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter10

Someone's hidden within

--

"Harry, thank Merlin you tore yourself away from Dani." Bastion sighed in relief when Harry appeared just outside the stall. "Moon and Midnight are stressed out about something and nothing we've done has even come close to calming them…" He slid open the heavy stall door.

"Easy, little brother, I'll see what I can do." Harry stepped into the stall and Night immediately came up to him.

"So is it nervous jitters or something else?" He stroked Night's muzzle instantly linking with him. The visual was clear as a bell in his head. Night was worried about Dani, as well as his mate and unborn foals. :Easy boy, Dani is gonna be fine. She just needs to stay in bed for few days. In fact she told me to watch over you, Moon, and your babies.: He spoke in soft gently soothing tones with his mind.

Moon though breathing heavily because of her discomfort walked over and nudged his arm with her muzzle.

:Yes, I'm telling you both the truth. Now let's focus on you and your little ones.: Harry linked with her as well and she went from concern for Dani to being focused on birthing her little ones.

"They'll be fine now." Harry led Moon back over to the soft bed of hay and she lay down. "Get ready you two, it'll happen quickly now."

"Uh, Grandpa? Uncle Hagrid? Xander? Harry?" Bastion looked around, but the three of them were standing outside the stall and Harry was stroking Night's muzzle.

"Don't worry Bastion. You don't need us. You'll do fine." Hagrid reassured him.

"She'll do all the work. You both are just there in case she needs a little help." Xander added.

"Bastion there's nothing to it, just be there in case she needs you." Paddy had all the confidence in the world that Bastion was a natural at this.

"The Quaffle is in your hands now Bastion and Moria. We're just observers unless we're needed." Harry was also staying out-of-the-way.

"You'll do great. I'm just here to film it for the family archives." Binky grinned at him.

Moria fed Moon some herbs to ease the foaling process. "That's a girl breathe with the pain." She crooned, as she knelt down in front of her to stroke her muzzle.

Moon snorted in pain, as she worked to bring her first foal into the world.

"That's it girl. He or she looks like they might take after their Da." Bastion stroked her side soothingly while keeping an eye on her progress. "Aye, looks like trouble Night, perhaps a replica of you."

Night's ears shot up and he nickered with excitement.

Harry walked over to check her progress and grinned. "Yep, this first one is gonna be like his Da." He watched as Moon delivered the first foal, a black as midnight colt with a shocking white mane, tail, and four white socks.

"He's got himself one handsome looking son." Hagrid grinned at Paddy.

"Aye, that he does, Hagrid." Paddy agreed.

"And Night isn't wasting any time tending to him." Xander was pleased to see that Night easily took to tending to his son.

"Good news, girl, this one looks to be the near image of her Mam." Bastion watched as the white as snow filly, with a jet-black mane, tail, and four black socks, came into the world and then was immediately tended to by her mother.

"Binky did you get all that?" Moria excitedly asked her best friend.

"Have I ever let you down?" Binky had set up cameras all around the stall, so they had footage of every angle. "Trust me Mori I got it."

"This is exactly why Fred and George are willing to do anything to convince you to join their team, as it is Trista and Katie are both due anytime now." Harry chuckled when he spotted Daisy curled in a corner her eyes wide with wonder. "Daisy's here which means that Dani sent her to make sure that she got back with a full report as well."

"Daisy's in a curious phase." Xander went to check on Moon.

"Life is a miraculous puzzle. She's got a right to be curious." Merlin appeared in the stall and scooped Daisy up into his arms.

"Where did you go off to?" Harry arched a brow at him.

"The isle to fill your parent's in on what was happening." Merlin answered. "They'll be home by Friday at the latest."

"I've missed them, it will be good to have them back home." Harry smiled.

"I'm sorry Dani missed it." She pouted up at her great-grandfather.

"She'll be able to watch everything on the DVD that I'm making for her." Binky winked at her.

"They all can." Bastion was walking on air, because the foaling had gone flawlessly. There were those tense moments when the two of them had been off the scales for a few minutes, but other than that it'd been fine. "We were gonna let them all gather and watch, but when Moon and Night started acting up we decided against it."

"That's what DVR's are for. It allows us to capture events like this for the family archives to be shared with generations to come." Binky was also doing a story for The Quibbler and was taking down notes and details with her Auto Quill.

"Ron said that Bianca was here in the barn." Sean had come to Sanctuary in search of Binky, because she'd forgotten that they had a date. "So, that's what all the excitement is about. Night and Moon had their foals."

"Sean ya just missed seeing Moon have her foals. It was a wickedly cosmic experience." Bastion grinned at his best mate.

"Aye, I can see that and I'd have been her sooner if Bianca had clued me in that our date tonight had turned into Foal Watch 2010." Sean was not pleased with Binky for not calling him.

"Moria rang me with the news and our date slipped my mind." Bianca didn't so much as pause from her task to even glance over at him. "I'm sorry Sean, but this trumps dinner and a movie."

"What's with the reporter kit?" Sean spied her nearly finished piece for The Quibbler and picked it up to read.

"I'm covering this for Fred and George, who are on their own pins and needles with a baby watch of their own." Bianca nicked it out of his hands.

"They'll be over the moon…" Sean rolled his eyes.

"Sean, you're more than welcome to stay for dinner, but only if you don't start a row." Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "There's been far too much rowing here at Sanctuary for one night. Binky is doing me a huge favor by filming the foaling for the little ones. Particularly Dani and DJ who aren't feeling that hot tonight, and if she chooses to take up my big brothers offer to join The Quibbler then that's her choice and you should honor it. You have your choices and she has hers. It's just that simple."

"Yeah, Harry…I know. You're right." Sean felt stupid that he was irked about the article and shrugged. "I would just like to be kept in the loop…I mean is that askin too much?"

"Buddy a foal waits for no one and she didn't have time to touch back with you about her change of plans." Bastion, even though focused on the unicorns and their twins still managed to sound off his take on the situation.

"You didn't get nearly boiled in oil by Max ten minutes ago. Her dad's not my greatest fan these days ya know." Sean sulked. "He all but accused me of stalking Bianca! Didn't believe a word I said about our havin plans, accused me of crowdin' her not respectin' her space of all things!"

"Daddy's all bark and no bite." Bianca rolled her eyes at him.

"He used _Levicorpus _on me during our chat and had his wand pointed at me the whole time." Sean grumbled.

"Uncle Max is a grandstander and enjoys the hell out of intimidating potential suitors who think they have what it takes to date any of his daughters." Harry felt for the boy, but his daughter needed him. "Dani's my priority at the moment. Let me just say that whoever the brave souls are that try to woo any of my girls, years and I stress years from now. I won't be on my best behavior around them either." Harry left them to ponder that and vanished.

"DJ, Nate, and Matt are doomed." Bastion and Sean looked at each other.

"That lad's is an understatement if ever I heard one." Merlin smirked.

--

Three days later at Dragon Manor.

"Draco it's been three days, you have to talk to me sometime." Ginny found him getting most his clothes out of his walk-in-closet and stowing them away in three large trunks. "Are you going off on a long mission?"

"Not exactly," Draco's tone was cold as glacial ice towards her.

"Then where are you taking three-quarters of your things?" Ginny felt as if they were drifting further and further apart.

"It's quite simple really. I'm moving out of our master suite and moving to the guest suite on the other side of DJ's room." Draco didn't even look at her.

"Draco you can't just shut me out like this…"

It was then and only then that Draco turned around to glare at her. His gray eyes narrowed darkening to a stormy pewter gray. "Oh can't I? You chose to shut me out of the knowledge that I was going to be a father again! The very fact that you decided to risk the lives of our unborn miracles on a fucking game of Quidditch makes my blood boil! You took it on yourself to take the antidote after we decided to wait until August to create the girls! Yes, Ginevra Molly Elizabeth, I believe I can and will until I can look at you without wanting to throttle you!!" Draco was barely able to contain his fury towards her.

"I trusted you!! You're the one that chucked that trust out the window!! And for what a fucking trophy and your chance at wizarding glory?! Dani could have been severely hurt because of what you put our son through!! Like Harry was after sixth year!! Not that you give a damn either way!! Who the hell are you, because you sure as hell aren't my wife?!" He slammed the trunks closed just by glaring at them. "I'll take care of DJ and make sure that you and our daughters are safe and healthy, but it ends there! I'm tempted to set you up at your mothers!! Let her and your father watch over you for a while!!"

"Draco, I made a mistake and I'm sorry beyond words about it, but it's not anything that can't be mended." She placed her hand on his forearm and he flinched as if her very touch repulsed him.

"Change of plans. I'm bunking at Sanctuary. I'll have your mother come here to watch over you." He focused on the three trunks and they vanished.

"YOU'RE LEAVING ME?!" She burst into tears. "WHAT ABOUT DJ?! HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO HIM!?"

Draco ignored her caterwauling and took out his phone to call Molly. "It's Draco…Yes, I've made my decision…I'll need you to come look after Ginevra. DJ and I will be fine over at Sanctuary. Oh, he'll have no problem with it. He's not speaking to her either…Look! I need time and space. I can't get it here and neither can DJ! Hey, I didn't do anything! She seems to think her plan was warranted. I'm of another mind about things and this isn't something that's easily mended. She blew my trust out of the water and if DJ hadn't spoken up her lie would have costed us our daughter's lives! I can't just let this go…not this. I need time or we aren't gonna be together anymore. Good. I'm glad you and I understand each other…I'll see you in ten minutes." He ended the call.

"I'D NEVER HURT DJ!" Ginny couldn't believe his lack of trust in her.

"So it's just our unborn daughters that are fair game and worth risking? Sorry, I'm not about to take the chance. DJ's furious with you therefore he's coming with me. I didn't say that you couldn't see him, but only under supervised visits." Draco glared down at her. "DJ and I need a time-out from you, while you sort out your priorities. Any love that I have for you is leaning towards borderline hate right now. In fact the only thing that I love about you right now is our unborn miracles growing within you. Miracles that you obviously take for granted and therefore you need constant care which is where your mother comes into play…"

"I'M NOT MENTALLY OFF, DRACO!!"

"Oh really, then prove it! Because right now in everyone's eyes you've gone around the bend!" Draco wrenched his arm free. "You're a danger to you, our son, and our daughters. If I wished it I could easily have you locked in the ward at St. Mungo's and put under observation. Be lucky that I chose your mother instead!"

"DRACO…!" Ginny fell to her knees in tears. "YOU CAN'T MEAN ALL THAT! YOU AND I ARE FOREVER!"

"THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE EQUAL PARTNERS, BUT YOUR SELF-ISHNESS DESTROYED ALL OF THAT! I LOVE THE GINNY THAT PUT THE LIVES OF HER FAMILY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE. SHE GAVE A DAMN WHAT I THOUGHT AND NEVER THOUGHT TO LIE OR HIDE ANYTHING LIKE THIS FROM ME! THAT'S WHO I MARRIED! THAT'S WHO I LOVE AND IT SURE AS HELL ISN'T YOU RIGHT NOW! I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE WENT OR WHY, BUT FIND HER INSIDE YOU AGAIN OR THIS PARTNERSHIP IS FINISHED!!" Draco roared down at her.

"Draco! I haven't changed like you claim!" She was beyond hysterical now, because his words were ripping her to shreds inside, and his eyes no longer held any sign of love for her. They were shining with fury, hurt, and disappointment. But the love that was always there no matter how enraged he was with her was gone or so locked up away inside him that it terrified her that she'd lost him and nothing could mend the void between them. "I love you, our son, and girls…"

"I don't believe you or anything you say anymore."

Ginny's stomach rolled violently. She stumbled to her feet and into the master bath and got sick in the loo.

"It was never this bad with DJ…I'm sorry that I wasn't honest with your Daddy!" She retched. "I know that I AK'd my life! Lost everything! The respect, trust, and love of the one person that means more than the air I breathe!" The nausea was only getting worse. "No one is talking to me! My son hates me! Grams put me on immediate maternity leave, so I've lost that as well! I don't care if I ever play Chaser again! It's not worth my son's love and trust. The lives of my girls and it costed me my marriage. The love of my life, my other half, can't even look at me. Let alone stand for me to touch him." She got sick again, but instead of worshipping the loo alone in misery Draco was now sitting beside her with a goblet of water and a cool cloth that he was bathing her face with.

"Wolves mate for life." He reminded her in not a cool icy unfeeling tone, but in a loving, gentle, soothing, concerned one. "We're forever you and I." He continued to bathe her face with the cool cloth. "Now try to drink some water." He held the goblet of water to her lips.

"You still love me?" Ginny whimpered.

"Yes, you little idiot, I love you. But you hurt me and I lash out at anyone who betrays me like that. Putting your wants ahead of what's most important, like our girls, reminds me of my biological mother's attitude towards life. The things that her and my biological father wanted always took precedence over my needs for a hug, to be soothed when a nightmare kept me awake at night, or just any show of love would have been nice. No instead they spoiled me until it didn't matter anymore." Draco rarely talked about his childhood, but things needed to be said. Getting her to see his side of things mattered more to him than he'd ever realized.

"I'm the opposite side of the coin. I was raised with all the love and guidance that any parents could give." Ginny sniffled miserably, as he pulled her into his arms. "I never had a selfish bone in my body, until the whole Chamber of Secrets debacle. I guess it triggered that side of my character. I suppose my darker side has never really gone quite dormant since then…" She felt safe in his arms, "I really hadn't realized that until now. The Cup was a goal of mine…I'd gotten sick for the twelfth time in three months, so I took a test and the potion turned pink. The thing was that I wasn't happy, just peeved that …" She held her hand to her middle and burst into tears. "My girls were going to ruin my hard earned spot on the team…" She sobbed miserably. "I'd already broken your trust by taking the antidote just after St. Patrick's Day, so what harm would another lie do…" She buried her face against his shoulder. "I'm a horrible selfish person! How could I think that!? How much of my life has been achieved because of that side of me!?"

"Shhh…its okay Peaches…You are not a horrible person. Everyone has a darker side if you will, a little devil whispering in your ear just like the toons on the Telly sometimes are prone to portray. There's the angelic version of you on one shoulder and then the devilish looking you on your other."

"That's the thing mine isn't me…It's a voice more like echo in my head or at times a whisper, but it isn't mine." She sniffled miserably.

"You mean like the one in Tom Riddles diary?" Draco asked softly as he tried his best to piece together what she was trying to tell him.

"I never really thought about it, but yes the voice is similar to his! Is it possible that I've had a shadow of him still in my head?!" She clung to him in terror.

"I suppose that it's possible but…"

"Oh god!" She got sick again.

"A shadow is all that it is." Draco took out his phone again and this time actually hit speed dial for his in-laws number. "Mum? Yes, hi it's Draco. Feel free to keep DJ for the weekend. Ginny upset? Well, you see the girls are saying hello to her by making her miserable. Yes, extreme morning sickness. So you got them? Good. I was in a temper when I sent them to you and was afraid that they got sent to Ron's or something. I'm always happy to give clothing for a worthy cause. I'll just update my wardrobe after our baby appointment with Lucy this afternoon. Yeah, Franc will be beyond pleased. Yes, I know all marriages go through a rough patch or two…I agree some alone time is needed. Enjoy your weekend spoiling the grandbabies…no news on Trista or Katie yet? Yes, I'm still staying on my wager that they're both carrying twins, all four are boys, and will be born between August second and third. I'll tell her. Bye."

"So those trunks?"

"We're for the thrift shop." He gathered her into his arms and carried her back to bed.

"Then you're not leaving me here alone with Mum?" Ginny sniffled.

"Yes, I did feel like it, but no it was never gonna happen." Draco got her tucked back into bed.

"Then why put me through all of that?"

"Because brat. Turnabout is fair play and it was the only way to get you to finally own up with me about everything and with you. You've been acting as if you made a teeny-tiny mistake instead of a colossally major one. Shaking you up seemed the only way to get through to you." Draco called the morning sickness potion to his hand. "Now try to take some of this, while I go fix you some hot broth and some peppermint tea."

"Are you going to call Harry and Hermione?" Gin eagerly welcomed the cooling sensation of the potion as it soothed her tender tummy.

"Only if you wish me to and I was thinking of talking to Uncle Albus about this too." Draco paused in the doorway.

"Yes, please do. I want whatever this is out of my head." Ginny's spirits picked up when she turned to look at Draco's pillows and found two pastel colored plush bears sitting on them. One with the name Serena embroidered on it had silvery fur with peachy highlights streaked through it and gray eyes. While the other had peachy fur with silvery highlights and moss green eyes this one was named Sami.

"I was wondering when you were gonna see them." Draco chuckled when she took them both in her arms and cuddled them to her. "I would say the question about whether you're having our girls or not has been answered."

"When did they arrive?" She was beaming with happiness. "Mummy loves her little miracles very much." She patted her now visibly rounding middle. "I've been so focused on all the turmoil that I hadn't noticed that you've grown."

"To answer your first question they arrived in the morning post and I set them there on my pillows while you were still snoozing the morning away. Now as for your observation that our girls grew, well, I noticed that this morning. Which is why I made an appointment with Grams, but Lucy answered instead. We have a 2pm appointment with her at St. Mungo's. Now if you three ladies will excuse me I have to go fix you a nice light healthy meal." Draco walked back over to kiss her lovingly on the lips and placed a protective hand on her middle. "I love you." That said he vanished.

--

Sanctuary

"I'm thinking of taking the boys over to see Gin. It's been three days and I think that I've cooled off enough to go chat civilly with her now." Hermione had searched high and low all over the manor and finally found Harry in the inner sanctum.

What the teens dubbed as the 'Inner Sanctum' was very much their restricted section. It was a series of three rooms wizarding in origin that to the muggle eye would appear to be simply a type of home office.

However, to anyone of the Wizarding World it was James and Harry's own miniature Auror central, complete with a library filled with volumes on almost everything magic and anything dark magic. It had an area very much like a Potion's Masters Domain, where they could brew antidotes and what not if needed. Lastly there was a room with a table of the round in miniature with which to discuss the business at hand and on the walls were built in shelves with whatever they might need to complete various missions.

It was the one area on the first floor that was off-limits to the teens and the little ones of the house. A door sized portrait of Godric acted as the door. That when the password _Ego Peto Solus Notitia Non Caligo _was correctly given, slid to the side revealing a marble wall with the Pendragon royal crest inlayed into it in jewels. The person then had to tap the Pendragon family crest with their wand a certain way. Then say another password, _Draíocht tá ár bronntanas _that then caused the marble wall to transfigure itself into what looked to be a normal door. And then after saying the final password, _Arian He And Bewarenian Se Manfordædla. _Then and only then did the faux door fade away and let one enter the inner sanctum. (The first password is a series of Latin -I seek only knowledge not darkness- The second password is in Gaelic –Magic is our gift- Lastly the third password in old English–Honor it and guard against evildoers.)

"What has you in here researching dark magic?" Hermione took note that he was reading an ancient leather bound volume on The Art of creating a Soul Capturer.

"Draco called a little while ago about something and it requires that I do some serious dark magic research." Harry glanced up at her.

"That's Voldemort level magic, who does Draco know that got tangled up in something like that?" She saw other subjects that he had gotten out to read Possession by objects using Dark Magic, Purging Darkness from a possessed mind, and that was only some of what he had stacked around him. "Did someone come across one of Voldemort's old possessions again?"

"Actually, it's more like did all of Tom Riddle ever truly leave Ginny."

_What?!_ Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Harry, please tell me that you're joshing with me about this. I mean that was eleven years ago…"

"I realize that Hermione, since I was the one that personally ended that part of his existence, but as much as I'd love to reassure you and say you've been Punk'd. I'm sorry I can't do that." Harry chose a heavy volume on The consequences of being possessed by Dark magic. "He's not nearly as horrid as he appeared to be back in the Chamber. Evidently, all he really is in a way is her selfish, greedy, who-the-hell-cares-about-what-anyone else-wants side of her persona."

Hermione continued to stare openmouthed at him in horror.

"Evidently, according to this she openly welcomed him into that side of her persona, and when the diary was destroyed hid him out of harms way inside her subconsciousness. Gods this is all blowing my mind. We're gonna need Uncle Albus." Harry called Ferria to him with his mind and she appeared on his shoulder. "I need some professional advice. This is way over my head or the shock of hearing it all has me in frickin fire-bad-tree-pretty mode." He wrote out a lengthy letter to his Uncle with a plea for help in finding a solution to this current headache facing them all. Sealing it away in an envelope depicting his HBP seal on the back of it, attached it to Ferria's leg and sent her off on her way.

"We have to help her, Harry. Remove him from her mind." Hermione sat down beside him and got to work reading Dark magic antidotes and Remedies.

"I know that Hermione, but all of this points to her having to want to willingly banish him from her mind." Harry sighed in frustration at one of the baby monitors sitting in front of him. "Dani's trying to escape again; at least the boys want to snooze the morning away."

"She's like you when it comes to being stuck in bed." Hermione leafed through her book. "Go cuddle Dani for a bit. I haven't had a challenge like this in nearly six years. You've been at this for at least an hour, so let me wrap my brain around it while you take a break amusing our daughter."

"Sure, sweetness, feel free to brainstorm the problem to your hearts content. This is gonna take a team effort to put right, because he's had eleven years to fortify himself firmly inside her mind." Harry left to see about Dani.

"There's more than one way to skin a boggart and that's what we're gonna do." Hermione got to work.

--

Dani glared down at her legs that were so weak they could barely hold her up. She stood in her walk-in-closet in search of something to wear, besides her summer baby-doll pajamas.

"It's been three days already. I have to be strong enough to at least go see Moon, Night, Dreamer, and Kismet. I couldn't even go to Nana Molly and Grandpa Arthur's with all the others." She growled in frustration, when she got dizzy, and had to sit down on the ultraplush carpet floor. "Cut it out will you body! Daph and her parents arrive this evening and you will not be bedridden when they do!" She blinked back hot angry tears that threatened to burst free in a flood at any second.

Missy padded into her closet and went over to cuddle in her lap.

"My magic is tapped out. I'm still weak as a kitten and I'm afraid that I won't be me again for a long, long time!" She burst into tears and buried her face against Missy's soft fur.

Harry's heart broke at the sight of his miserable little shadow cuddling her pup in complete and utter defeat. "The more you push yourself the longer it's gonna take you to get better again." He walked into the closet and scooped them both up into his arms.

"I'm gonna go crazy stuck up here in bed while everyone else gets to have fun without me!" She wailed in frustration.

"You've got everything at your fingertips including the Nintendo Strata and a stack of games, courtesy of your Uncle's, that no one in the world minus Japan has even gotten to see yet. Your Aunt Jo sent you her latest installments to her wizarding children's series on The adventures of Pendragon and _The Journey's of Dobby the elf_. That she's writing strictly for the children of the Wizarding World. Your Uncle Daniel sent you the first installment of The Young James Bond series that's not even yet released in the cinema. I could go on the list of your spoils from your Uncles, Aunts, Grandparents, and cousins are pages long." He tucked her and the pup back in bed.

"Daddy, I'm getting cabin fever cooped up in here." She pouted miserably up at him.

"I've got a better idea, big brother. Solve her need for fresh air by taking her down to see the foals. Clover and Sassy were born last night, maybe that'll cheer her up." Bastion stood in the doorway with a half-awake baby Rafe in his arms.

"We've got the boys covered." Bree yawned she had Jamie in her arms.

"Well, boys, bottles are gonna have to do. I saw Hermione go into the inner sanctum." Donavan appeared in front of them with two bottles in his hands.

"What's up big brother?" Bastion took a bottle from Donavan.

"Daddy! You can't leave me! I'm miserable!" Dani was bawling even harder now and Missy joined in with mournful howls of her own.

"I thought that you were on family leave." Bree took a bottle from Donavan when Jamie started to react to his big sister's mood by fussing.

Jamie was starving, so he focused on his meal instead.

"Would you two cool it with the questions! Little Bit is upset enough as it is and it's setting off the boys." Donavan hissed at Bree and Bastion.

"It's all right Donnie. All of you can relax. I'm not going on a mission. I'm not leaving Dani or the boys anytime soon. Mione and I are researching something for a close friend of ours." Harry chose his words carefully as not to alert curious minds.

"Aunt Gin's possessed again isn't she?" Dani's tears ebbed to the occasional teardrop, her eyes became a darker emerald green, and her voice was that of someone deadly serious. It was that clear in her mind.

"Dani, I know that you're cheesed off with Gin, but that was low." Bastion was so shocked by her zinger that he nearly dropped the bottle that he was feeding Rafe.

"Dani, it's not nice to say things like that." Bree shivered.

"I don't know guys. Harry's not denying it." Donavan was eyeing Harry very carefully trying to pick up a clue about what was up.

:Very intuitive of you little shadow, but no Aunt Gin's hasn't been possessed again. It's more like a sliver of him never truly got vanquished from her mind.: Harry used his link with his daughter to answer her question.

:Fine Daddy, maybe I'll forgive her, but please fix her so this doesn't happen again.: Dani resigned herself to accept his explanation. "Sorry my bad… I'm still half out of it."

"You can relax. Gin has not been possessed by another dark object." He told the teens. "Now if the three of you will please keep an eye on the boys. I'll take Dani for a peak at the little ones." He scooped her and the pup back up into his arms and beat a hasty retreat.

"Did you believe a word?" Bree frowned.

"Nope," Bastion growled.

"Gin's still got a piece of Tom Riddle in her head, but he promised Draco that he'd keep it hush-hush." Donavan having gotten the information that he needed left them to head for the lift.

"Donnie? How do ya figure that?"

"I'm very good at Legilimens and he wasn't shielding his mind. You two watch the boys. I'm gonna help Hermione research how to get rid of the family pest." Donavan keyed in the code for the lift.

"You'll never learn until your rash actions come back to bite you in the bum." Bree headed back towards the nursery.

"How are you gonna get into the sanctum?" Bastion called after him as he stepped inside the lift.

"I have my ways." Donavan grinned as the lift doors closed.

"Nope. I didn't hear anything. He's on his own with this one." Bastion headed off after his sister.

--

James, Lilly, and the twins arrived home just as Donavan was exiting the lift.

"Welcome home. Harry's taken Dani for a peak at the foals." Donavan smiled at them.

"It's good to be home." Lily smiled.

"Hi Donnie," The twins raced into his arms for a hug.

"Hey midgets," Donavan squeezed them back. "There are four newborn unicorn foals in the new barn…" He laughed when the two of them vanished in his arms.

"So now that the twins are off to see the babies what's going on?" James arched a brow at him.

"Nothing that a good dose of mental pesticide won't cure, that's if an antidote like that actually existed." Donavan headed down the hallway stopping at Godric's portrait.

James dropped the luggage in the entryway and headed after him when he continued to go through all the motions to enter the 'Inner Sanctum'. "Donavan Ryan get back here that's off-limits!"

"Something's not right James."

"Damn straight something's not right. How the hell did he know how to get into our lair?! Hermione must be inside researching something, but that's off-limits and he knows it!" James wasn't happy with Donavan, but then again he didn't know if he wanted to know what had even Hermione in brainstorm mode.

"OUT!!" Hermione escorted Donnie out of the lair by wand point. "These rooms are off-limits to the younger set and that includes you, Bastion, and Bree!" She gave him a hotfoot.

"But I just wanna help! I care about Gin too! She's like a big sister to me!" Donavan glared at her, as he hopped up and down on one foot.

"Look Donavan Ryan! What's in that room is nothing for any of you to mess with let alone read! It's rude to eavesdrop on a father and daughter chat! It's bad form to sneak into someone's mind when they've got their guard down and pluck out what's off-limits to you!" She hit him in the arse with _Stupefy_ and he yelped in pain. "Whatever is wrong with Gin will be fixed by trained wizards and witches that I promise you! Now since you're in the mood for challenges you can make yourself useful and figure out a way to amuse Dani for the rest of the day!"

"I'd rather risk giving Fluffy a bath. She's beyond moody and her magic is beginning to return." Donavan grumbled.

"Well there you go then! Fluffy, Lady, Rad, their pups, Crooks, and Pepper can all use a good wash before the Cooper's arrive this evening." Hermione took him at his word.

"You heard her Donavan Ryan that should keep you busy most of the day. Then you and I are gonna have a chat, where I will then remove any knowledge that you have about entering the Inner Sanctum from your mind." James was beyond furious with him.

"When you've done with that the lawn needs tending as well." Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Aah man…" Donavan groaned.

"Next time think before plucking top secret passwords and private conversations from other people's troubled minds and stay out of rooms where you don't belong." Hermione pointed her wand at him. "Off with you and I'll send Bastion out after a bit."

"I'm going! Blimey…I didn't mean anything by it…its just natural as breathing to me…" He vanished.

--

"Mum...Dad. Thank the goddess you're both back. We've got a problem on our hands and no idea how to solve it." Hermione was worried sick about Gin and beyond relieved to see them home.

"Okay kitten, slow down whatever the problem is can be set right." James followed her into the inner sanctum.

"What does this mental pest problem have to do with Ginny?" Lily was on his heels.

"Ginny was possessed by a shadow of Tom Riddle's seventeen-year-old self during her first year at Hogwarts. Lucius Malfoy slipped the diary of Tom Riddle into Ginny's cauldron while we were all shopping at Flourish & Blotts." Hermione paced in front of them.

"Yes kitten, we're well aware of the whole Chamber of Secrets debacle. Now what does this have to do with Gin?" James walked over to the round table, as ancient as the table of round in the main council chambers at the Ministry, and took in what they'd been researching. "Uncle Albus would have made certain that any part of Tom Riddle was banished from her mind."

"All signs pointed to Harry having completely vanquished that part of him, so no one really was the wiser."

"Unless the one who was the victim, in this case Ginny, chose to hide a sliver of him deep in her subconscious. In doing so she would have shielded that from being destroyed." Lily was beginning to fully understand the problem and the headache that it was going to take to correct it.

"Why would Ginny wish to have anything like him remain in her head? It just doesn't make sense to me." James himself was dumbfounded that Ginny had even thought of making such a rash decision. "What could he have possibly bestowed on her that would be worth risking that?"

"Ginny was a shy little girl until she came under Tom Riddle's influence through the diary. Then she was the complete opposite going after and usually getting whoever or whatever she pleased. Excluding Harry, he was immune to her charms, but none of the other boys seemed to be. She wouldn't take any rubbish from any of her brothers and went toe-to-toe with them without even thinking twice about it. That kind of power is difficult for someone to just give up nor would someone that had been shy like that wish to." Hermione sat back down to work on the problem.

"For fear that they'd turn into that shy little mouse again." Lily now had a clear idea what was what and sat down beside Hermione to help solve it.

"The more she uses that side of her, the stronger his influence will be over her mind." James frowned. "Eleven years is a hell of a lot of time for him to firmly entrench himself in her mind."

"Hence Donavan's idea for a mental pesticide," Lily nodded. "James would you be a love and go fix us some lunch. Hermione and I have things covered in here and Lori and I are getting hungry."

"We're naming her Lilly and yes I'll fix lunch." James kissed her and Hermione on the top of the head.

"Allura," Lily wrinkled her nose at him. "Lori for short, not Lilly."

"Lilly with two l's or Lillian Allura Rosalyn is fine to." James left them to their work.

--

"Mum you know you can't win. Dad is determined to name her at least somewhat after you." Hermione looked up from what she was reading.

"I just don't like giving an innocent child a name that will confuse her, because he's sure as Mab not going to call her junior." Lily growled. "It's not like Lily can be broken down into two names like James can to Jamie. Where as Allura can become Lori or even Ally. That is far easier on a child than trying to figure out if the person is talking to or calling her or her mother. My mother's name before she changed it was Lily Violet Rosalyn. I can't tell you how confusing it was for me, until everyone got a clue, and started to only call mother Violet instead. Now after that I was very happy, yes very happy indeed." Lily explained why she felt so strongly about naming her children to Hermione.

"Well, look on the bright side. You can always call her by her middle name and she can use it just like Rory uses her own."

"True and James does seem set on naming her Lilly, but then again that's months from now and who knows I might wear him down by then." Lily decided that a change of subject was in order. "So how's our Dani?"

"She's miserable, still weak as a kitten, tapped out magic wise, and driving us crazy trying to keep her in bed." Hermione sighed in frustration.

"Like father like daughter."

"Yes, I know and not even the spoils rained down on her from everyone are enough to keep her where she needs to be and that's resting in bed."

"You've had your hands full while we've been away, but we're here now and it's all going to be okay." Lily closed the book she was reading and Hermione's as well. "What you need is a good cry."

"Mum I can breakdown later…this is more…" Hermione found to her frustration that she was nearly in tears. "Important than my needs..."

Lily got up from the table and held out her hand to her. "Your needs are just as important if not more so. Now let's go over to the couch in the corner and you can have a good long cry in my arms."

"Crying is a useless waste of energy."

"Crying cleanses ones soul." Lily led her over to the couch and got them both settled on it.

"It's just been one thing after another…" Hermione let down all of her defenses and laid her head down on Lily's lap.

"I know baby." Lily soothingly stroked her head. "You should have sent for us sooner."

"I didn't want to spoil your holiday…" She finally let herself have a good sob.

"It was a working holiday for the men. Holding the World Cup on the Isle was brilliance or so they thought, but then the Isle is a mecca for muggle tourist. It was quite a headache for them to solve."

"So, there wasn't a real outbreak of some unknown disease on the Isle?" Hermione sniffled miserably.

"No, but it was a clever way to scare off the muggle tourists until after the Cup is over. The PM has banned all travel to the Isle until further notice."

"Nice plan mum." Hermione would have laughed, but the tears were flowing endlessly now.

"Yes, I am rather proud of it myself. Anyway, while they oversaw the building of the stadium the rest of us enjoyed the peace and quiet as well as the beach. Mayor Baggins wishes for the Isle to be Unplottable again and for Wizarding citizens only. The islanders are in total agreement as well." Lily continued to chat in soft soothing tones.

"And I thought our lives were a mess. Grandfather and the council must be pulling their hair out about that request."

"Not really no, since the Isle is hard to plot as it is and not even the Muggle satellite technology can truly find it in the same place at the same time. The Isle moves and always has with every lunar cycle. Now stop holding back what you need to get out and talk to me."

"Mum...Dani could have been badly hurt…" Hermione sobbed. "She was bleeding and it wouldn't stop…nothing I tried could stop it…" She covered her face with her hands and continued to cry her heart out. "I was so scared…"

"Oh baby, I know you were scared and so was Harry, but she's going to be herself again it just takes time." Lily crooned as she rocked her in her arms.

--

"Dad did you order Donnie to give the pets a bath?" Harry having tucked Dani back into bed and checked on the boys, who were also snoozing, went in search of his father.

"No that was all Hermione and that's just the start of his misery. He has to mow the lawn next." James was making homemade chicken noodle soup for lunch and was stirring it on the stove. "But then that's the least of his problems, he still has to chat with me tonight about abusing his natural talent for reading minds."

"Goddamn it! Donnie went and waltzed through my mind a while ago didn't he?!" Harry glared out the kitchen windows at the teen in question who with Bastion, Bree, MJ, and Izzy were having a time of it trying to wash Fluffy.

"Son, you're stressed it happens." James took the fresh loaves of French bread out of the oven.

"What'd he do cheese off Hermione by getting the instructions on how to enter our lair?"

James nodded.

Harry swore fluently in parseltounge for several minutes.

"And listened to your chat with Dani."

"Son of a fucking bitch!" Harry felt like frying his ass.

_He was worried about Gin and wanted to help…No that's no excuse for breaking a slew of cardinal rules! _Harry snarled to himself.

"His days of freedom are numbered!" He stalked out the backdoor of the kitchen and stood on the deck. "Donavan! After the lawn is done, the gardens need de-gnomeing and weeding! The cars could also use a good wash! Oh and your grounded until I say other wise!"

"I told you that he'd be off the charts!" Bree punched Donavan in the stomach.

"Off the charts? He looks ready to AK his sorry hide." Bastion gulped.

"So, the two of you were in on it too were you!?" Harry's ultrasensitive hearing easily picked up every word.

"No!! We were tending to the boys! That was all Donavan! We swear it!" Bree and Bastion cried in unison.

"I only wanted to help! I didn't mean any harm by it!" Donavan pleaded his case.

"Big brother is really mad at you." Izzy frowned.

"Boy are you gonna get it." MJ was glad that it was Donavan and not him that was about to face his big brother's wrath.

"GOOD INTENTIONS OR NOT! NO ONE! ESPECIALLY, A HOT SHOT TEENAGE PISS ANTE! HAS THE RIGHT TO EVER TAKE A STROLL THROUGH MY BRAIN OR USE THEIR GIFT TO GET TOP SECRET INFORMATION ON HOW TO ENTER THE INNER SANCTUM!!" His roar echoed for miles.

"You do it all the time." Donavan muttered under his breath.

Harry was in his face in less than a second. "LISTEN, YOU SMART ASS CHEEKY LITTLE PISS ANTE! I ONLY LOOK WHEN A SITUATION CALLS FOR IT! I DO NOT ABUSE MY POWER, BECAUSE WHEN YOU ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN THEN POWER CORRUPTS YOU A LITTLE EACH TIME AND IT LEADS ONE TO THE DARK SIDE OF THE COIN!"

Thunder boomed around them and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

"I'M GONNA RIP THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU STOLE FROM MY HEAD OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND BELIEVE ME IT AIN'T GONNA BE A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE! BUT YOU NEED TO LEARN TO RESPECT THE CHAIN OF AUTHORITY AND YOUR ELDERS!" Harry, his eyes blazing emerald green with leashed fury and immense power, focused on using Obliviate the hard way.

Donavan fell to his knees, grabbing his head in agonizing pain. "OKAY! I GET IT! I ABUSED MY GIFT! I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN! NOW PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!"

He felt as if someone was stabbing at his head with a white-hot blade, then it was over as quickly as it had begun, and the pain dulled to nothing more than a nasty headache. "I'm sorry…" He panted out in pain. "It's just that we're not little kids anymore and are more than capable of helping all of you." Donavan looked up and found himself staring up into Harry's eyes.

"You'll only earn that privilege when we know that we can trust you with something as big as the key to the Inner Sanctum. Rash actions like yours don't win you the key or earn our trust." Harry his temper now completely spent stared down at Donavan with extreme disappointment. "Draco told me to keep it a secret that's why I didn't confide in the three of you. I unlike you respect the wishes of others and honored his request."

"Yeah, I know and I'm sorry…"

"Sorry, doesn't wash with me Donavan, but actions do. Think carefully about how you choose to use your gift before trying a stunt like that again…better yet if you ever pull that with me again then AK'd you will be and wake up in St. Mungo's or in bed." Harry pulled him up to his feet.

"Lunch will be ready in ten minutes. It'll take you that long to dry off Fluffy. He only gets wet when he wishes to and only cleaned using _Scourgify_ never with plain old soap and water. Lady, Rad, their pups, Crooks, and Pepper yes, but Fluffy no." He headed back towards the manor.

"You're lucky he's one of the good guys." Bastion was using his wand to dry off Fluffy.

"So Donnie, still think you're so clever?" Bree was doing the same.

"Stupid yes, clever not really no…" Donavan groaned. "By the Gods that felt excruciatingly bad."

"Well you asked for it." MJ smirked the twins had conjured him and Izzy a small pool with which to wash the puppies in.

"Looking without asking is naughty, so he punished you." Izzy thought he deserved what had been dished out to him.

"Yeah, I'll say he did in spades." Bastion smirked as the three of them set about cleaning Fluffy the proper way.

--

Chapter 11

Cause and effect

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	11. Cause and effect

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 11

Cause and effect

--

"You are a Healer, Ginevra, one that specializes in obstetrics and pediatrics. This is inexcusable! You're sixteen weeks along with twins no less and only now are you seeking to verify it!" Lucy showed them both 4D images of their daughters, as she continued to glower at Ginny.

"I've been taking care of myself. Eating right, taking my vitamins, drinking loads of milk just like I did with DJ." Ginny whimpered shakily. She hated the way that Luce was looking at her, but then deep down she knew that she was right.

"Both of your girls are doing fabulously, no thanks to their mother blocking their existence out of her mind, so she could play the World Cup. By the goddess Ginny! What in Mab's name has come over you? No Match or glory is worth such a risk and you darn well know this!" Luce had the computer zoom in on the first twin. "She's in prefect health at five and a half inches long and weights in at four ounces. She's got a strong healthy heart beat and as you can see she has fingernails and toenails well on the way to being formed and she's frowning. Note how far along in the game she already is. Then think about the risk you were willing to take with her or her equally identically healthy twin sister, who's sucking her thumb and blinking at you this very moment…"

"Luce, she's well aware that she beyond messed up and we have a pretty good idea about the reason why. I've already flamed her myself this morning, so believe me she gets it now." Draco broke into Luce's snarls towards Ginny.

"I made a mistake eleven years or so ago and I'm beyond paying for it now!" Ginny burst into tears. "I just didn't want to be a meek little anything again…I didn't think it would ever come back to haunt me like this…" She sobbed.

"What in the name of magic is she going on about?" Lucy scowled at Draco.

Draco used the _Imperturbable_ Charm on the entire room before answering her question. "Evidently, she kept a piece of Riddle inside her subconscious. It was that influence that has empowered her to strive and achieve everything she wanted."

"You're nearly twenty-one and should have weaned yourself off needing IT years ago. Let alone listening and abiding to ITS suggestion instead of using plain old common sense." Luce was beyond displeased and not the least bit sympathetic towards Ginny. "So, you were shy at eleven most girls are. I know that I was at that age, but I grew out of it in a year or so. All your fun at getting what you wanted never truly made you happy that was until you met your match in Draco, who fell for the true you and not your whatever-Ginny-wants-Ginny-gets attitude. So, be done with IT and by doing so you'll find that you're better for it in the end."

"To tell you the truth all your attitude did was irritate me, but it was when you let your guard down that I really fell for you. I was entranced by your inner beauty the side that fiercely loved and protected what was hers. You never needed to use any of that with me." Draco kissed away her tears. "In fact you stopped relying on that side of you after we got together and only listen to IT when you feel vulnerable or unsure of yourself about something."

"Or when she knows that you're not going to approve of or have already shot down something that she wanted." Luce pointed to the screen. "Looks like they're both getting sleepy, so we'll let them." Luce saved the images to be burned on a DVD and then shut off the machine.

"The responsible side of me has known for a while about our girls and I've been meticulously doing all the things that I need for the girls since April. I've just been good at covering my tracks using the darker more sneaker side of my persona." Gin wiped the goop off her middle. "Stating that I'm drinking more milk and cutting off on caffeine, because I want to be a good influence on DJ and things like that. I'd also like to point out that I've been beyond careful during matches or practices when I'm up on my broom."

"Ginny you've been drinking Butterbeer…"

"No you think I'm drinking Butterbeer, but in reality I'm drinking milk, juice, or something healthy like my prenatal potion." Gin countered him and giggled when Draco and Luce stared gobsmacked at her. "I told you that I was sneaky. I'm eating yogurt, my good for me cereal, and I drink a gallon of water a day. I just do it when you're not really paying attention or are so caught up with something that you don't even notice. "

"That's evident in how wonderfully the girls are coming along. It's a relief to know that your stronger side is your good side and that it far out weights any influence that IT might have on you." Luce handed Draco the slim case that contained the first video of the girls. "Now just to be clear about things, no Quidditch, horseback riding, Griff riding, or riding any animal from here on out…."

"Yes, Yes, Yes, I know the rules Luce." Ginny rolled her eyes at her in exasperation and went to use the bathroom.

"I thought you did, but your actions of late say otherwise." Luce narrowed her eyes at Gin. "I want IT out of your head, before your next appointment and that is not up for negotiation."

"We're working on that Luce. We don't want IT in there anymore than you do and the sooner that IT's gone the better I'll feel." Draco was in complete agreement.

"Hey, I'm not thrilled having IT in my head either or that my subconscious decided that IT was needed all this time." Ginny growled.

"Gin just remember that IT did nothing to define who you are today and that you'll still be you when IT's gone. That's very important that you believe that you're you and nothing and no one can change that." Luce walked over and gave her a hug. "If anything you'll just be less a darker side that you don't need in the first place."

"I'm scared Luce. I don't know how much of all my achievements were truly mine and what was done using IT to achieve it. I don't want to go all shy again…" Ginny sniffled.

"You won't because you shed that shy part of you years ago." Luce hugged her fiercely. "If anything losing IT will only make you stronger and having IT as a crutch is only a weakness."

"I hadn't thought about it that way thanks Luce…" Ginny smiled weakly.

"Positive thinking is crucial in banishing IT from your mind. I've never come across a situation like this, but I'm positive that you'll have to focus on the positive and not the negative to get IT out of you mind. I know focus on the girls. Think of IT as a threat to what's yours." Luce suggested.

"That's brilliant Luce." Draco grinned. "No one threatens what's hers so IT is toast."

"Damn right IT is toast." Ginny growled. "No one comes between me and what's mine."

"That's the spirit now I want to see you in two weeks." Luce smiled at the two of them.

"Two weeks it is then." Ginny nodded. "We've got a date with Franc, because Draco gave away most of his clothes this morning."

"Oh?"

"I gave them to the thrift shop."

"Oliver was weeding things out of his closet when I left home this morning, and it is a worthy cause." Luce smiled. "I'll see you at the World Cup."

"That you will…Later Luce." The two of them vanished.

--

Albus listened calmly to Hermione and Lily, as they went over their findings with him. "First let me reassure the two of you that Tom Riddle has been dead for six years. If in fact there is a shadow of him lurking deep within Ginny's subconscious then it's a shadow and nothing that can't be easily corrected." Albus, steepled his fingers in front of him, it was as though they were discussing the summer weather and nothing more than that.

"That shadow is effecting her judgment and its influence caused utter mayhem here this past Monday." Hermione couldn't believe his casual attitude, especially about something as serious as this.

"I am aware of that Hermione, but all of you need to understand that it's not Voldemort that is influencing Ginny, but a sliver of his teenage side and nothing more. He's like a dark muse, powerless to do nothing more than suggest or perhaps give a mental push, but that's where his influence ends." Albus kept his tone calm and soothing.

"Uncle Albus, you had to have at least suspected that Ginny might have hidden a part of him away." Lily held up the book that she was reading. "This is in your hand. In fact most of these were written by you."

"During my prime I was often prone to write. Yes Lily, as the years progressed I suspected something, but Ginny never showed any sign that she was leaning towards his dark influence. She used it to learn confidence, strength, and courage in herself or to catch a boy's attention. Never once did she use it to harm. Never once until recently…You see just as a babe is weaned from their bottle, so must Ginny willingly vanquish him from her mind." Albus was dead honest with the two of them.

"Not before someone strong in Legilimens lures him out of hiding and that someone is Harry isn't it!" Hermione slammed the cover of the ancient text she was reading shut and narrowed her eyes accusingly at Albus.

"Yes, my dear, I believe that only the lure of being able to confront Harry will rouse him out of his protective cage." Albus nodded, his blue eyes shone deep remorse at having to subject Harry to that again.

"NO!!" Hermione shouted in outrage. "NO!! FIND ANOTHER PERSON!! I'LL NOT HAVE HIM PUT THROUGH THAT AGAIN!! NEVER AGAIN WILL THAT THING TOUCH HIS MIND!! I'LL TEAR SOMEONE APART FIRST, EVEN MY BEST FRIEND AND SISTER!"

"Severus is strong…"

"YES!! HAVE HIS SON FINISH CLEANING UP THIS MESS!! IT WILL NOT BE MY HARRY!" Hermione raged at Albus.

"It's my choice." Harry walked out of the shadows.

"Yes, it's Harry's choice not Uncle Albus', Lily's, yours, or mine." James stood beside him.

"THEN WE'LL FIND ANOTHER WAY! SOMEONE ELSE! DONAVAN'S A HOTSHOT LET HIM TAKE THE RISK!"

"Hermione, I can't believe you said that!" Harry snarled sharply. "Donavan is a kid!"

"YOU ARE NOT DOING IT!" Hermione got to her feet and went toe-to-toe with him.

"Hermione…" Harry tried to pull her into his arms, but she was having none of it and slapped his hands away.

"THERE IS NO WAY THAT I AM GOING THROUGH THAT AGAIN, SO FIND A GODDAMNED OTHER WAY!" She screamed at him her amber eyes had darkened to a deep chocolate brown and were shining with hot angry tears.

"I'm not sixteen anymore nor is this a rematch with Voldemort. It's just a pathetic sliver of a shadow of his soul and nothing more." Harry cradled her face between his hands. "No worries, my sweet."

"Six years ago today you woke up after fighting that evil monster and you expect me to be okay with this?" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"WELL, I'M NOT HARRY! I'M NOT OKAY WITH ANY OF THIS!" She mentally shoved him away with her mind and then ran out of the lair in tears.

"What do I need to do to help my little sister?" Harry reined in the urge to go after Hermione. This was Auror business, a loose end that he'd neglected all those years ago that needed a proper vanquishing.

"Son, we'll devise another plan." James growled.

"Yes, Hermione has been put through enough hell this month." Lily was in full agreement.

"Severus or I could…"

"NO!!" Harry bit out though teeth gritted in frustration. "I missed vanquishing a piece of Riddle eleven years ago! I'll clean up my own mess!!"

"Son, you were twelve none of this is your doing." James tried to reason with him. "There's no sense putting either of you through the wringer."

"I'm an Auror. It's what I do! If I'm banished to the guestroom then so be it! We've both been through an emotional rollercoaster this month, but Ginny and her girls take center stage over frazzled emotions! The very fact that my scar has remained dormant means that he is nothing, but a pest needing to be squashed." Harry was in no way the same boy as he was at sixteen. No, he was going to be twenty-five in eight days and was very much a wizard in his prime. "I'm the force to be reckoned with this time, Riddle is my prey, not the other way around."

"Well said, my boy well said indeed." Albus beamed with pride.

"If you feel that strongly about it then I'm for it as well." James was also extremely proud of the man that Harry had become.

"Harry those are strong words, but this is going to effect you. It matters not how much you've achieved part of you is still wary of Tom Riddle."

"I can handle it Mum. I know Tom Riddle is dead, but odds are this final piece of him believes that he has once again gone into hiding and isn't aware that Voldemort is long dead." Harry blocked out the waves of emotion that he was feeling from his beyond miserable wife and focused on the now. "I'll use that to lure him out of hiding and then Ginny can handle the rest."

"Is what Hermione was saying true?" Lily didn't like this situation one bit.

Harry glanced down at his watch it was midafternoon. "Yep, it was six years ago today. In fact at this very hour that I woke up in St. Mungo's after weeks of being near death or recharging, but either way you slice it today is always a touchy day for us." Harry nodded.

"Yes, but it was a day of celebration for us all. You came back to us and we rejoiced." Albus remembered that day that moment as if it were yesterday.

"Yeah, well, it was a mixed bag emotion wise for me…" Harry scratched at the back of his neck.

"Here was my angel crying herself to sleep in my arms and Ron and Luna were dead. Everyone was crying tears of joy, and of relief. I was a mess mourning my friends, confused as hell over my feelings for Hermione, and pretty much angry at the world for letting me live…" Harry paced in front of them.

"Harry…" Albus, Lily, and James gaped at him in surprise.

"I was in agony both physically and mentally. Ron was my best mate and I felt like rubbish for having this feeling of unending love for Hermione…his girl or so I thought. I hadn't really focused on Ron and Luna hooking up during the feast. I mean that alone made my head go tilt. Was I taking advantage of my best mate's girl…my own best friend as well? She was my shadow…curling up to nap with me or just sleep in my arms. She'd whimper don't leave me I love you Harry in her sleep…she had terrible nightmares for days. I was so bloody confused and raw emotionally that I left Number Twelve hours after my seventeenth birthday party and fled to Hogwarts where I could think…" Harry raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "After that everything became clear again, a hell of a lot more challenging, but I made my peace with being alive."

"Harry…" Hermione stood in the doorway.

"I mean look at my Mione…who wouldn't celebrate being alive. Having her being over the moon in love with me the whole time was one of the greatest boons that I could ever ask for and it only got better after that." Harry opened his arms and Hermione flew into them. "I protect what's mine. It's as simple as that."

--

The Carstairs department store…

"Franc?" Draco eyed him in disbelief. "What happened to you?"

Gone was Franc's flamboyant shocking colored tailored suits. He was wearing a suit right out of Gentleman's Quarterly looking every much the well-groomed upper class executive, rather than his usual carefree self.

"Did someone die?" Ginny settled herself on the couch in his office.

"No, but I have had the urge to murder someone as of late." Franc muttered darkly.

"It can't be all that bad."

"Georgette Francesca Carstairs is the new CEO. She feels that my wearing this." He pointed his ring-less finger at his suit in utter disgust. "In her eyes is evidently, far less intimidating for our VIP cliental."

"Frankie gave you a makeover? Why would she do that when she's been this huge fashion designer in New York City since forever? I mean her style isn't exactly conservative." Gin couldn't believe her eyes or ears.

"Frankie?" Draco frowned.

"Georgette Francesca Pruett-Carstairs she's my cousin, on mum's estranged side of the family tree. Anyway, after their final year at Hogwarts she and her twin sister Frederica Desiree went off to make it big across the pond." Ginny explained. "I've only seen the two of them a dozen or so times, but I know that she had her own boutique and Desi had her own Salon on Fashion Avenue. Their mum and dad weren't big on magic either and they were never wanting for anything. Mum got disowned by most of that side of the family when she met Dad. She gave up a lot when she married him instead of whom her parents thought was more suitable to her station."

"Her family owns Carstairs and her father after suffering a heart attack recently retired as CEO and Francesca stepped in to fill her father's shoes." Franc grumbled. "Now let's forget about her and focus on Draco's new wardrobe and the momma-to-be's as well."

"Ginny is that you?" A fiery haired moss green-eyed, classically featured, wand slim woman cried in delight.

"Hello Frankie." Ginny smiled. "Longtime no see. What brings you here from across the pond?"

"Daddy's health scare has him wanting to enjoy his golden years with mother and I couldn't resist the challenge of whipping this old relic of a store back into shape." Frankie breezed over to take a seat beside Gin and took both her hands in her own. "A baby… yet your not on cloud nine about it or something is clouding the way…" Her brow furrowed she wasn't used to her gift being so acute and it had been since she'd stepped foot on British soil. "Be done with whatever it is that's standing in the way of your happiness, you don't need that in your life."

"Yes Frankie. I see that some things never change. You're still as empathic as ever." Ginny gave her a hug.

"Only since I arrived back home…it's as if just being here has unlocked the magic that I've kept locked inside me and it's taking a bit of getting used to it all again." Frankie sighed.

"Frankie, I'd like for you to meet my husband Draco Pendragon." Ginny glanced over at Draco, who was conferring with Franc about his new wardrobe.

"Yes, that's right it's Princess now for you isn't it."

"Not for family it isn't." Draco walked over to meet her. "Nice to meet you I'm Draco."

"The pleasure is mine." Frankie offered her hand in greeting and Draco gallantly kissed it. "You baby cousin are one very lucky girl."

"Oh, I know and he's all mine." Ginny smiled when Draco kissed her.

"Francis you feel free to see to Draco's requests while Gin and I see to her own." Frankie was all cool as ice towards him.

"Francesca, I'm well aware how to do my job and can more than handle seeing to both of their needs." Franc set his teeth in frustration.

"Franc is family and always sees to our every wish." Ginny assured her cousin.

"Francis has a meeting at four at the Palace, because he's taken on the colossal task of personally seeing to every last detail of the wedding. I've cleared my day to be available to whatever needs tending to in the store." Frankie gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Our Franc is an icon in the UK." Draco grinned.

"Francis was a diamond in the rough badly in need of a good cutting and polishing. His image was bordering on the ridiculous."

"My wardrobe was all hand tailored designs that I created myself!"

"Yes, but all in blinding neon colors! Honestly Francis! Beau isn't being nearly as difficult for Desi!" Frankie rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Desiree is a breath of fresh air compared to you." Franc snarled under his breath.

"Frankie, we love Franc just the way he is. He's famous for his flamboyant style. Why change what doesn't need fixing?" Ginny folded her arms across her chest and scowled at her. "We can relax around Franc. He always treats us like family and not royals. His eye for fashion is nothing short of brilliant."

"Sometimes he's a little heavy-handed with the measuring tape, but other than that Franc's top-notch." Draco agreed.

"Exact measuring is essential for a proper fit. Heavy-handed I most certainly am not." Franc bristled at what Draco had just said.

"Now Franc…No harm no foul. We understand that you sometimes forget yourself and don't fault you for it." Draco arched a brow at him surprised by his reaction. "I mean you and Beau have been partners for as long as we've known you."

:Draco cool it with the heart-to-heart.: Ginny hissed at him using their link. "We adore both of you to pieces."

"Beau and I are kindred spirits and have been since we were toddlers. We've shared a flat together since we were eighteen and were both starting here at the store, me as a storeroom clerk and he as a salon assistant. We prefer each others company and have never wished to change it." Franc decided to deal with the issue and not just push it aside. "Females and dealing with them in any other way other than friendship has never been one of our strong suits. We're not repulsed by them, just not interested. They make wonderful friends, but other than that not really our cup of tea. We're just content to be each others companion and it's as simple as that. Beau and I aren't nearly as male oriented as all of you think."

"Honestly Francis! It's not that big of a deal three-quarters of my friends in New York prefer either sex. I merely changed your look because EJ is so five seasons ago." Frankie planted her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes at him.

"MY LOOK WAS NOT EJ, FRANCESCA!" Franc got up from his chair and stalked over to glare down at her.

"ALL THAT WAS MISSING WERE THE CRAZY SPECS!" Frankie glared back.

"Seriously, you two time-out!" Desi walked into his offices. "You can hear your snarling two floors down in the Salon!" She was Frankie's twin down to the last freckle, only her eyes were more aquamarine than moss, and she let her waist length mane cascade freely down her back in fiery waves.

"Desi!" Ginny was surprised to see her.

"Ginny is that you?" Desi took in her baby cousins all grown up appearance and her frown turned into a delighted grin. "You look smashing! Married life most definitely agrees with you."

"Desi this is my husband Draco…"

"We keep track of all of you, even with us across the pond. It's a pleasure to meet you I'm Frederica Desiree Carstairs." She offered her hand in greeting. "I'm sorry if my sister and Franc's clashing is ruining your day. Beau is working his magic on Lady Cooper and her daughter or he'd be up here as well."

"He's all bark and no bite. It's nice to meet you as well." Draco took her hand and kissed it.

"He's a real prince." Desi sighed.

"Yes and he's all mine, DJ's, and our girls." Ginny fondly patted her slightly rounding middle.

"Twins!" Frankie and Desi beamed at her in delight.

"We found out officially this afternoon." Ginny nodded.

"That's splendid news. We'll adore pampering you for an hour or two while Franc sees to Draco." Desi rushed over and pulled Ginny to her feet. "Then you can catch us up on the other side of the family tree."

"Go on Peaches enjoy your visit with your cousins." Draco pulled her to him for a kiss.

:Page me if you need me.: Ginny kissed him back. "I will."

:Oh, I will in an hour or so, because then it's home for you and a nap.: Draco let go of her so they could lead her out of the offices. "Have fun."

--

"Okay Draco out with it. I want to know what's going on." Franc went back to sit behind his desk.

"Nothing that can't be remedied," Draco sat back down in one of the leather overstuffed chairs.

"Ginny and her girls are not well?" Franc's azure blue eyes widened with alarm.

"No Franc. The girls are fine." Draco tossed him the DVD. "See for yourself."

"Then what's wrong with our Ginny?" Franc wasted no time loading the DVD into his computer.

"It's crowded in her head as of late…"

"Crowded?" Franc glanced up at him. "In her head?"

"That's right. She's had unwanted company in her head for oh I'd say eleven years or so give or take a month." Draco picked up a magazine and leafed through it.

"You mean to tell me that V or a piece of him is in her head and has been all this time?!" Francs eyes widened in horror.

"Yeah, pretty much, but it's not what you think. He's just an annoying pest lurking about in Gin's head that feeds on her darker selfish tendencies."

"Yes, yes it's more than evident in the books that Gin's driven by something..." Franc was relieved now that he understood what was what with the two of them. "She went from timid little thing to Lola…"

"Lola?"

"She's a feisty alluring sex-kitten like character in a classic musical called Damned Yankees. Her mantra in the play was always 'Whatever Lola wants Lola gets'. She was the devils tool that he used to lure mortals to him, but by the end of the play she kind of takes a liking to the hero and sees the error of her ways." Franc explained.

"Good analogy."

"TMR provided her with the gumption to go after anything she wanted and she clung to that lifeline until she rescued you. Then you became her obsession and he wasn't needed anymore." Franc surmised, as he sent down the order for Draco's new wardrobe by hitting the enter key on his computer.

"Thanks Franc. I've mulled it over a thousand times in my head, but that puts it all in perspective quite nicely." Draco now that the chat about him and Gin was over decided to focus back on him. "So, how does it feel being made over, instead of it being the other way around?"

"Stifling…the woman is cutting off my ability to create! Let alone focus on the needs of my clients!" Franc spat out in disgust.

"Let me get this straight…its okay for all of us to be walking ads for GQ, but not for you or Beau?"

"I'm an artist. I need to make sure that my chakra is free to breathe. It's not like you, Harry, or the others…" Franc sniffed indignantly.

"You, my friend, are a cheeky stuck up snob!" Draco got up to pace.

"I am not!"

"You are so! Let me add that you are also a fraud! Because you detest what you love to push onto others!"

"Artist privilege! When one is surrounded by all of this, twelve hours a day, nearly seven days a week, one does not desire to wear it!"

"Like I said a snob," Draco settled himself back in the chair and went as far as to prop his feet up on Franc's desk. "Like it or no Francis that's exactly what you are." He took out his phone and took several snaps of him.

"No what I am is a man, who values his days off, and likes to wear comfortable clothes."

"Your suits are all one of kind originals, so if a client wanted one it wouldn't be possible because they aren't for sale. It makes perfect business sense to me that Frankie changed your business appearance. If you wear a tailored suit that is also available to the clientele of the store, then they'll most likely buy it. You wear it. They trust your eye for fashion and the store makes money through you and Beau, as sort of walking ads for the store."

"Yes, yes I know all of that." Franc grumbled. "But I don't have to like it."

--

Sanctuary

"Remind me to never piss them off again." Donavan collapsed on the newly mowed backyard lawn.

"I'll pummel you if ya do." Bastion panted with exhaustion, as he collapsed beside him. "God's this bites. I'm beat and we've still got the cars to wash. Bree took pity on us and weeded and de-gnomed the gardens, so at least that's checked off our list."

"My arms and legs will never be the same again…" Donavan had bandages all over his legs and arms. "Crooks has lethal aim."

"Tell me about it. Pepper tried to shred me." Bastion was also sporting bandages on his arms and legs.

Harry and James grinned down at the two beyond exhausted teens.

"The cars ain't gonna wash themselves boys."

"Mercy…" They groaned.

"Not a chance, as it is you boys wouldn't have lasted a day during Auror trials." Harry seemed rather disappointed at the two of them.

"Washing the family pets and mowing the lawns are nothing compared to that and you boys are beat from just doing those." James was also rather disappointed in the two of them.

"It's gotta be close to ninety today and we've mowed acres of lawn this afternoon." Donavan opened one eye to glare up at them.

"Yeah, so we ain't no wimps." Bastion grumbled.

"Sebastian, go take a cool shower, and then help Uncle Paddy with the horses, Griffs, and Unicorns." Harry nudged him with the toe of his Birkenstock.

"I can't move…"

"Stop moaning and groaning, all you have to do is focus on your room." Harry smothered a chuckle.

"I'll still be unable to move and just lie there on my floor or if I'm lucky my bed."

"You have two hours to recharge then it's checking on the unicorns for you." James growled.

"Gee thanks Uncle James. I'll just crawl to the barns." Bastion vanished.

"Donnie you also have two hours then washing the cars you will be." Harry nudged Donnie with his foot and the teen groaned.

"I'll never bend the rules again…" He vanished.

"No mercy for the weary?" James smirked.

"No not today, as it is we've got to welcome Tim, Lilah, and Daph in a few hours, as well as, focus on Gin."

"That leaves us time for a run." James suggested.

"Can't gotta listen for the boys…" Harry shook his head.

"Bree is finished with her task of weeding and de-gnomeing the gardens and is watching Dani. So, she'll be there to help with the boys." James countered. "You need to clear you head for a while and how better to do that than in animagus form."

:Mione? Dad and I are going for a run. I'll be back in an hour or thereabouts.: Harry relayed what was what to his other half.

:We'll be fine, Wolfe. Go for a run as Prince and get your mind off everything for a while.: Hermione sent back.

"Well?" James knew that he was checking in with Hermione.

"All set on my end, let's go for that run." Harry grinned impishly at his father. "So are you going as Prongs or as Loki your wolf form?"

"God's I should never have let the kids name my latest animagus form. I'm not nearly as bad as the god of mischief."

"No, but you were once upon a moon, so the name more than fits." Harry smirked.

"Yes, well, that doesn't mean that I'm gonna give in and write about the first adventures of the original Marauders." James muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, sure dad you aren't fooling anyone. I've seen the rough draft that you've been secretly working on…" Harry ignored the fact that his father was glaring daggers at him and continued. "It's brilliant a best-seller for sure." That said he took off across the lawn as Prince with his father in hot pursuit as Loki the mirror image of Prince only with hazel eyes.

--

Dani scowled at the two teens that had commandeered her Telly and the Nintendo Strata. "I thought that Daddy had the two of you doing chores?"

"We've got two hours to recharge." The two of them were playing NASCAR 2010 Extreme.

"Besides, you weren't using it, so we thought we'd keep you company and play a game or two." Donavan was winning the race.

"Racings an easy game…Why don't you two play Kingdom Hearts VII or Final Fantasy XVI?" Dani loved games that made her think. "I mean there's also the latest Zelda, Metroid, or Mario adventure too.

"Two hours isn't near enough time to devote to masterpieces like those that's an all-day challenge." Bastion answered back. "It's convenient that all of those games are for other systems now, but a pity that Sony's blunder with the PS3 brought down their empire."

"Then at least play the FA 2010 one or the Quidditch, cuz racing games annoy me." Dani turned off their game and loaded up the football game instead. "I like the Wii and this new system better anyway, besides unlike the original Wii… Nintendo made the newer versions of the Wii and Strata's game quality like the 360, so that's all that matters in the end."

"It's not the racing the two of them are all wild about." Bree stood in the doorway of her room. "It's being able to cause crashes that appeals to them."

"At least the football one makes you strategize and you get in a workout too." Dani settled back against her pillows and went back to reading her book.

"Yes sweetie, but then nothing gets blown up playing football and they're beat from doing those punishment chores." Bree settled herself next to her.

Bastion took the hint and loaded up Kingdom Hearts VII instead. "You win girls. We'll use Disney characters to blow things up instead."

"Babe, it's how we take out our aggressions on something, other than the actual ones that we're cheesed at." Donavan rolled his eyes at Bree.

"You're just sore, because Daddy called you on bending the rules to your liking." Dani smirked.

"Handed him his head on a pike is what he did. He's lucky that's all that big brother did to him." Bree set her notebook computer in her lap, so she could show Dani her and Donavan's favorite design for the Cooper's new homestead.

"These are brilliant Aunt Bree." Dani was pleased with Bree and Donavan's hard work. "I love the manor with the hint of a castle type theme. It really is the perfect blend of both muggle and wizarding design."

"What's a home without a star watching tower …" Donavan was proud of that design.

"You two both know that it's their choice not yours." Bastion frowned at them.

"Yeah, we know Bastion, but it's got everything they asked for and it's the one that Donnie and I worked hours on. Down to the detailed stained glass windows for the tower. We took the fairy theme to a whole new level. It's meant to enchant a young girl's imagination and to provide a sense of security as well…there will be no nightmares in Daphne's room." Bree wasn't exactly sure why, but that was important to both her and Donavan and they incorporated that when designing Daphne's tower room.

"We designed the study area, and playroom as one corner of the manor. Her bedroom will be right above that. I'm even planning on getting special permission to fashion a new type of lift, but that's still in the beginning design stages." Donavan loved the idea of doing a magic carpet type lift for Daphne's tower.

"That'd be wicked cool, Donnie, but you would have to have a no fall charm and the floor of Daph's bedroom would have to have a trapdoor or something like that…" Dani easily read him like an open book.

"Dani bending the rules like that is what got me a migraine a few hours ago." Donavan dropped his controller, so he could go have a chat with her.

"Sorry…" Dani grinned sheepishly. "It's just that you were so jazzed about your design that it got me curious…"

"Looking without permission is rude, but your input on the design is greatly appreciated." Donavan gave her ponytail a playful tug.

"I'd never get the instructions to enter Daddy's and Grandpa's lair the way you did." Dani rolled her eyes at him. "Your way of going about it was sloppy and doomed to fail right from the beginning. Logic states that you should try something like that stealthfully and never in full view of Grams, Gramps, or especially when Mummy is occupying the lair. I'd have waited until they were otherwise occupied and then made my attempt at gaining entry."

"Dani, I'm sure glad that you are on our side." Bastion was never sure what she was gonna say next and this one was yet another eye-opening zinger.

"All right, all of you that's enough Mission Marauder for one day," Bree glared at Donavan. "You're having a negative influence on my niece, Clearwater."

"Danielle promise me right here and now that you will never do anything like my foolish actions this morning." Donavan lifted her chin with his finger, so she was looking him in the eyes.

"I promise, besides that stunt would have gotten me grounded for life with no chance for parole." Dani sighed. "I'm not big on grounding now, so I'll be even less for it at seventeen."

"Getting grounded blows at any age, but it really bites as you get older because you've slowly gained a fair amount of freedom and it's a pain in the arse when it's revoked." Bastion agreed.

--

Later that evening…

Hermione glanced down at her watch Dan was due to arrive with the Cooper's any minute now. "Has Draco called yet?"

Harry glanced over at her. "Gin's fine as are her girls. They need alone time with each other before even thinking of dealing with the pest in her head. Oh and it seems as though Franc is under a siege of his own at Carstairs."

"Oh really, what makes you say that?" James was cuddling Rafe against his shoulder.

"Yes Harry, who would even think of tangling with Franc's domain," Lily was content to cuddle Jamie.

"Francesca Carstairs and her twin sister Desiree have taken it on themselves to try to refine Franc and Beau." Harry having seen the snap of Franc couldn't help but chuckle.

"Frankie and Desi are back?" Lily was delighted to hear the news.

"Their father retired, leaving them to run Carstairs as they see fit. Pink is out and GQ is the new black." Harry's eyes danced with humor.

"Poor Franc, Gentleman's Quarterly is quite a change for him." Hermione smothered a giggle.

"Those two always get their way, so Beau and Franc don't stand a chance in fending them off." James found this highly amusing.

"I hate to say it, but now they'll get a taste of what being ordered about feels like." Harry heard someone on the steps and spied Dani sitting on the second floor landing. "Then again if he's half as stubborn as Danielle not even orders will keep him in line."

"March your fanny back to bed Danielle Stephanie Anastasia and no arguments or there will be no World Cup for you." Hermione marched up the stairs to see to her daughter.

"But, I wanna see Daphne!" Dani burst into tears.

"And you will…" Hermione picked her up in her arms.

"I'll send her up to see you as soon as they arrive." Harry joined them on the landing.

"It's no fair!" She wailed in misery when Hermione carried her down the hallway and back to her room. "None of this would have happened, if Aunt Ginny hadn't been a selfish twit, and lied to everyone! I hate her! She ruined my summer! I hope my unborn baby cousins make her just as miserable as I am!" Dani continued to vent while her mother went about tucking her back into bed.

"Danielle, you don't mean that and your Aunt is not a twit nor are you to call any of your elders' names of any sort again." Harry called her on her grumbling.

"I do too! I hate her!" Dani buried herself under the covers. "And she is so a twit for wanting that snake in her head!"

"Dani that's enough," Hermione growled.

"You should test her daddy!" Dani ignored her mothers warning.

"I mean it young lady enough is enough!"

"No, it's not nearly enough!" Dani threw off the covers. "Tom Riddle was always dark as all get out! She's had him in her head for eleven years running! You're only being nice to her because she's family! Anyone else would have been placed through the wringer as well as tested by now! She lied on purpose for months! DJ found out and got all messed up about it! I tried to help him and ended up really hurt! All because of her! She hurt me Daddy, so do your fatherly duty and at least make her go through the humiliation of being tested for being a dark witch! You're the HBP! She's got your sworn enemy inside her head! So be 'The Chosen One' and…!" Dani's tantrum was causing her to be sick to her tummy again, so she did her best to scramble off her bed, and crawled on her knees to her bathroom.

Harry scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bathroom.

"Put me down! I can do it myself!" Dani pushed him away as soon as he set her down in front of the loo. "I'll never be myself…" She wretched as her tummy lost the battle and she got sick.

"You young lady are nearly five not fifteen. It takes time and rest for you to get better." Harry tried to bathe her face with a cool cloth, but she kept slapping his hand away from her. "Come on Dani don't be like that…"

"I want Momma! Not you!" Dani got sick again.

Harry felt as if she'd run him through. "All right, if that's how you feel about it…" He handed Hermione the cloth. "Danielle, there are things in this world that you couldn't even begin to understand, and this situation with Ginny is one of them. Hell I get to go down nightmare lane again, just so I can lure him out of Ginny, so that I can vanquish him from existence. I'm sorry that you're too little to understand how strong Riddle's influence can be in an unsuspecting mind. How it can bend things to its will and make you none the wiser. I've been there many times. Uncle Sirius died because I let him lead me by the nose. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville could have suffered the same fate. Life isn't easy. Bad decisions eventually make one pay in the end and there is nothing not even the greatest wizards and witches of the world can do to stop it. Because life just keeps marching on…" Harry's hurt echoed with every word that he spoke to her. "I'll send Daphne up as soon as she gets here…" He vanished.

"You really hurt your father's feelings." Hermione fed her some medicine. "The way I see it the only one being a selfish twit is you." She set about bathing her face.

"I hate being sick." Dani sniffled miserably.

"We're all aware of that, since you've been ratty towards anyone who even dares try to keep you company, or heaven forbid tries to cheer you up." Hermione fed her the evening doses of her medicines. "Your father didn't catch a break in life until he vanquished Voldemort. He'll say his first year at Hogwarts, but he wasn't ever truly free until the summer of our seventh year. You little miss have the greatest Daddy in the world, but you don't deserve him especially not after the way you treated him a few moments ago."

"I'm sorry Momma…"

"Don't tell me sorry. I'm not the one you were sniping at. He already feels like he failed you and all of us by not completely vanquishing Tom Riddle's younger essence…"

"He was twelve and you were still petrified…" Dani sniffled.

"Yes I know, but he doesn't see it that way." Hermione carried her back to bed.

"Dobby needed to be freed…"

"Also true and Ginny seemed perfectly fine at the time not even Uncle Albus was any the wiser." Hermione tucked her in.

"He's a snake, so he's sneaky."

"Also very astute of you, but then Ginny's older brothers are Fred and George, so her actions really weren't all that peculiar." Hermione cuddled up beside her.

"True I guess she was more focused on boys, school, your adventures, and other stuff to even notice…" Dani yawned sleepily.

"Dark magic has never been a factor with Ginny. Dark influence perhaps, but never dark magic and being a Healer she's patched him up a time or two and never once has she been branded by his blood."

"I'm a bad daughter…" Dani covered her face with the covers.

"No your not, sweetie. You're just like me and hate being stuck sick in bed for long periods of time. So you take your frustrations out on everyone around you." Harry pulled back the covers, so he could look down at his miserable little shadows tear streaked face.

"I'm so sorry Daddy." Dani threw herself into his arms.

"I know baby." Harry cuddled her close.

--

"See daddy they even wash their cars like muggles do." Daph pointed out the water fight that was happening over by the carports. The three teenagers were doing their best to get one another with the hoses and whatnot, but not the SUV in front of them. "That must be Bastion, Bree, and Donnie they're staying here at Sanctuary this summer."

"Hermione tries to keep things acclimated muggle/wizarding wise as much as possible." Dan parked in front of the front walkway. "The kids are probably working off some punishment, since its Friday night, and the three of them are here spending their date time washing the cars. By the way Daphne your right about whom those three are."

"This place truly is a Sanctuary." Tim hadn't been prepared for the size of the manor.

"It's a beautiful home." Lilah smiled.

"Marcus is really proud of it." Dan grinned and tooted the horn at the teens. "Since the three of them are in the doghouse might as well put the boys to work."

The three teens ended the water fight and went over to greet the new arrivals.

"Hi Dan need some help?"

Dan got out of the limo. "Donnie…Bastion start unloading their things," He pointed at the trunk and it popped open. "I'll see to the Cooper's."

"Sure no problem Dan, we can do that." The boys set about unloading the trunk.

"I've got it Dan." Bree opened the passenger doors for them. "Hi I'm Sabrina Granger, welcome to Sanctuary." She smiled at the three of them.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the beyond brilliant girl that's designing our new home." Lilah stepped out of the Limo and smiled at her.

"It's a team effort my partner in crime, Donavan Clearwater, is helping my twin unload your things." Bree instantly took a liking to them. "Hello you must be Daphne." She smiled at the little ray of sunshine that stepped out of the Limo. "Dani's been pining to see you afternoon."

"William, Aurora, Henry, and Andromeda were saying something the other day about Danielle recuperating from some attempt at using magic far beyond her years. Is she doing any better?" Tim stepped out of the limo.

"Yes is Dani okay now?" Daph's aquamarine eyes mirrored her concern for her friend.

"Dani's not one to stay in bed, so it's taking her a little bit longer to heal. You see DJ is like her other half and was beyond upset at his Mother on Monday evening. Dani took it on herself to try to help him using empathy, the same method that her parents have often used on her. She's too little to control magic of that magnitude and she's recovering from the severe backlash because of it. It's similar to when someone comes down with a really nasty case of the flu." Bree explained. "She's as weak as a kitten, often sick to her tummy, and downright miserable."

"That poor little baby," Lilah pulled Daphne closer to her.

"Dani's learning a valuable lesson about using powerful magic and with our Dani that in itself is a plus." James and Lily came out to greet him.

"Welcome to Sanctuary our home is yours as long as you need." Lily smiled at the three of them then at Dan. "Hello Dan. I trust that you, Dawn, and baby Fara are all happy and well."

"Dawn sends her love and hopes that Dani gets well soon and our baby girl is three months old today." Dan beamed with pride. "Are those the twins? I say the two of them are growing as fast as magical beanstalks." He went over to coo down at the twins that James and Lily were cuddling in their arms and then went back to overseeing the boys.

"We're catching up on cuddles while Harry and Hermione tend to Dani and yes you're right the boys are following in their father's footsteps." James proudly showed off Rafe to everyone.

"Oh, they're both so adorable may I hold one of them?" Lilah cooed down at the babes.

"This is Jamie." Lily set him in Lilah's arms. "James is holding Rafe."

"May I?" Tim could never resist cuddling a little one.

"Sure Tim here ya go be my guest." James set Rafe in his arms.

"The boys are very advanced for only being barely a month old." Tim smiled down at the sleeping infant in his arms.

"By muggle standards maybe, but in our world the boys are right on schedule." Lily assured him.

Harry and Hermione came out to greet them with Fluffy, Lady, Rad and Missy on their heels.

"I say that's Cerberus." Tim eyed Fluffy with scientific delight. "It's more than apparent that he's smaller than the mythical guard of Hades domain... I would assume that his original size would have caused various problems."

"He seems friendly enough…" Lilah blinked at him in disbelief. "Nothing like how they depicted him in the first movie…"

"Fluffy mind your manners!" Harry ordered him sharply when he started to sniff at the new arrivals.

Fluffy mournfully lay down in front of them and whined.

"He's not doing any harm." Lilah cuddled Rafe against her shoulder, so she could scratch Fluffy's ears.

"This is Fluffy. The two collies are Radcliffe and Lady and this…" Harry bent to scoop a wriggling ball of fur into his arms, so he could set her into Daphne's eager ones. "…Is Missy their youngest pup from their second litter."

"She's so cute." Daphne giggled when Missy bathed her face with puppy kisses.

"She's Dani's shadow." Hermione smiled. "Dan would you like to join us for dinner?"

"Hermione that's a lovely offer really it is but…" Dan scratched at the back of his neck, as he tried to think of a way politely decline.

"He's missing Dawn and his baby girl…" Harry grinned knowingly.

"Aye, it's hard to tear myself away from them for long periods of time…" Dan nodded.

"Well then as soon as the boys finish unloading the trunk you can be off to see to your family." Hermione smiled warmly. "Then the rest of us can sit down and have a nice cup of tea."

"Tea would be lovely." Lilah smiled.

"Yes tea is a smashing idea. I'm curious though…Won't the boys need a hand with our things?" Tim asked as he watched the boys at their task.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that we have…"

"You's be here!" Dobby appeared beside Harry.

"Dani will smile now." Winky appeared beside him.

"Little munchkin can't sit still for two minutes." Kreacher appeared next with a bright eyed miniature version of Winky all dressed up in a pretty pink romper in his arms.

"Let me introduce you three to Dobby, his bride Winky, Grandfather Kreacher, and their newest addition of seven months baby Piper." Harry made the introductions.

"The lads are gonna get it all wrong. Here Miss Bree…" Kreacher set Piper in her arms. "You watch over our precious while we see to their things." He went over to show the boys.

"Not to worry…We handle it." Dobby happily walked over to the boys.

"Yes, yes we will make you feel welcome here." Winky loved taking care of whom they saw as their family and went to see to their things.

"What is so difficult about unloading a car?" Bastion grumbled. "They act as if we were bungling it up."

"Looks as if we've been demoted to car washers again," Donavan sulked.

"The task was not meant to be turned into a game. Punishment is not supposed to be fun." Harry frowned at them. "The cars are what need a good soaping not you."

"Yeah, we know big brother and I'd just like to point out that Donnie messed up not me." Bastion pouted.

"Yes, that may be so, but you chose to let him go through with his foredoomed plan and that makes you an accessory after the fact." James narrowed his eyes at him.

"Well, can we at least use _Scourgify_?" Donnie asked hopefully.

"Your punishment is washing the cars the muggle way not the easy way." James growled.

"Are we talking all the cars?"

"All of them. Now get to it or you'll be finishing at midnight." Harry pointed to the SUV.

"Aah man this blows!" The boys stalked off.

"Boys if you finish before eleven you'll have earned 50 galleons each." Lily called after them.

"No joking?"

"I might even add 50 quid to the mix." Hermione added.

"Well then that's all the incentive that we need." The boys were jazzed about their task now that monetary compensation was within their grasp.

"Treat me to a shopping spree for a new outfit and I'll be happy." Bree grinned at them.

"Mummy and I went shopping today and got all pretty too." Daphne was one very happy little girl and there was no sign that she had ever been involved in a major car accident. "We stopped by St. Mungo's first, because Dromi came up with a way so my new leg can keep up with me while I grow, and no one can tell that it isn't real either." She proudly showed off her triumph over her injury by walking up the pathway to the house without the aid of a single crutch.

"You have one very enchanting little girl." Harry smiled at Tim and Lilah.

"Yes, she's thriving now." James agreed.

"I'm so happy that she's healed so wonderfully both inside and out." Lily smiled.

"Yes, she's a beacon of happiness and full of energy." Hermione was so happy for them.

"She's nearly recovered from her accident and it's because of your little wonder that we got our baby back." Tim walked with them towards the house and felt instantly welcome the moment that he stepped inside.

"We're so sorry that Dani is feeling under the weather." Lilah sighed.

"Our baby girl is sulking and feeling sorry for herself. Daphne is just what she needs." Hermione was happy that they were finally there.

"That's all this one here can talk about." Lilah playfully tugged on her daughters french braid. "Your home is absolutely enchanting."

"Yes and the scale of this is amazing." Tim added.

"Is Dani sleeping or can I see her now?" Daph was eager to check on her friend.

"Her bedrooms on the second floor first door to your right," Harry winked at her. "We've added lifts to all the wings…not that you need them, but if you do the code to punch in is magic."

"Oh, I know all of that already. Dani emailed me all about it when you were fixing up the manor. I don't need one now…I only don't do well on stairs when I'm tired so I'll use them then."

"Daphne…" Her mother shot her a look.

"Um…sorry about that… Thank you for thinking of me." Daphne stared down at her sandals.

"We want the three of you to know that you're family now and that we're happy to help you in anyway we can." Hermione knelt in front of her. "And you little miss are free to be yourself. All of you are very welcome here."

"Momma? I'm thirsty. Can I please have some juice?" Dani's voice whimpered from the intercom.

"Poor baby she sounds miserable." Lilah crooned.

"I say this home of yours is very much a modern and wizarding wonder. Do these DLP screens give you control of anywhere in the manor?" Tim walked over to examine the touch screen.

"I wanted our home to be of both worlds and it's turned out nicely. The power is solar. The heating and cooling is geothermal. So it doesn't cost a fortune to power or keep this place nice and comfortable all yearlong. The internet and Telly are all by satellite connections, so we have that to use whenever we wish it. There's an intercom system and video station in every room." Harry walked over to the screen. "With this you can check on anyplace in the house. For example, let's check on Dani, one touch to the menu and there you have it." The screen now showed a visual of Dani's room.

"Yeah, we spared no expense and left out nothing when designing this place." James grinned.

"Outstanding." Tim wanted to know more and launched into a chat with James and Harry.

--

"This way ladies," Lily headed for the kitchen. "The men are lost to us now. We'll have tea while they chat about the wonders of muggle/wizarding technology."

"He's dumbfounded because all of us were expecting something entirely different." Lilah had Jamie snoozing against her shoulder.

"My parents thought there would be torches, no electricity just like the movies, but then how they showed the manor in the final movie isn't even close to the real thing." Daph went over to the fridge and got out juice for both her and Dani. "Oh yum, is that cheesecake?" She spied the double brownie Juniors cheesecake in the fridge.

"Daphne ask before you go into other peoples refrigerators."

"No that's all right she can raid the fridge whenever she likes. This is your home now too." Hermione placed a reassuring had on her shoulder.

"Well then might I suggest that we spoil dinner and have us some of that scrumptious cake?" Lilah grinned at all of them.

"Yes let's. We've stocked one of the freezers to the brim with treats such as that one, so a slice of heaven is always just a forkful away. I craved it during both my pregnancies and now Mum is craving it as well with her fourth." Hermione got the cake container out of the fridge and set it down on the kitchen island.

"Such happy news you must be thrilled." Lilah beamed happily at Lily.

"Oh, we are and baby Allura will be our baby new year." Lily patted her tummy fondly.

"Momma? Where are you? I'm thirsty." Dani whined over the intercom.

Hermione walked over to the panel on the wall and answered her daughter. "Be right with you baby. How's your tummy feeling?"

"I want something sweet."

"Juice and a snack will be right up." Hermione crooned.

"Fluffy, Rad, Lady, and Missy deserted me."

"Bastion, Bree, and Donnie took them walkies."

"Are Daph and her parents here yet?"

"She'll see you as soon as they get here. I'll be up with your juice and snack in a few minutes." Hermione wanted to surprise her.

"Okay Momma."

"Love you baby."

"Love you too." She ended the chat to go back to trying to watch her Uncle in his new movie.

"So where are your daughters and Lily's twins?"

"The four of them are spending the weekend with Molly and Arthur, which is yet another reason our Dani is sulking." Lily set about getting a tray ready to send up for Dani.

"That's not all Mum, there was also the births of the four unicorn foals this week, and she's been too sick to take part in that as well." Hermione sliced them all some of the sinfully delicious cheesecake.

"Unicorns?" Lilah and Daphne cried out with delight.

"Oh yes, we're boarding three pairs of unicorns and their little ones in our new barn this week. There are also horses and our family of Hippogriffs to see as well." Lily nodded.

"We'll take you down for a peek this evening and if you wish Harry can take you up for a ride on Beaky, Goldie, or their son Spirit. Their baby Misty is still too little to ride." Hermione never tired of seeing the wonder of their world light up the eyes of others.

"Oh mummy, just think of it getting to ride of Beaky or Goldie and seeing real unicorns." Daphne cried with excitement.

"We'll see about getting to ride on of the Hippogriffs, but seeing the unicorns will be a delight for your father and me as well."

"You kidding…Daddy's already eating this place up like candy." Daphne smirked.

--

Dani turned off the DVD and decided to read instead. It seemed like ages since she'd requested her snack and she wondered what was keeping her mother.

"Knock, Knock did someone in here order room service?" Daphne knocked on her door.

"Daphne!" Dani's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "You're here!"

"My Daddy's grilling your Dad and Grandpa about everything wizarding and Mum's having tea and cake with your Mummy and Gran. So, I brought us cake and juice to enjoy while we catch up with each other." Daphne opened the door and walked into the room.

Her eyes took in Dani's room. "No way!" She eyed the Nintendo Strata in disbelief. "What did you do to score that?" She set down the tray at the foot of the bed and took in the rest of Dani's get well soon presents. "Or all of this for that matter."

"I nearly wound up in St. Mungo's for a month and scared my family out of their minds." Dani yawned sleepily. "You look smashing by the way."

"Yes, but that's only thanks to hours of hard work and knowing when to let my body rest so it can heal properly." Daph went over to sit beside her. "I've been hearing from everyone that you've been beastly towards everyone. Is that true?"

"Yeah, you see I'm not big on being sick and to top it off my magic is tapped out too." Dani pulled the tray towards her, so that she could enjoy her snack.

"So, what caused it to happen in the first place? There's always a reason, now what's going on?"

"You've read Aunt Jo's books on Mummy and Daddy right?" Dani dug into her treat.

"Yes, as has every muggle child with an imagination or longing for magic, but if you want to know the truth your parent's versions are the better read." She answered between bites of cake.

"Well, what's your view on Aunt Ginny's character after the whole Chamber of Secrets incident?"

"She does a complete turnaround and is nothing like her previous self, but then that's what being under the dark influence of Tom Riddle for months and months will do to a person at least I assume it would anyway." Daphne frowned at her in confusion. "What's that have to do with everything? I mean it happened ages ago…"

"Eleven years ago my daddy rescued my Aunt…"

"Yes, yes I know all that…"

"He vanquished Tom Riddle…"

"With the Basilisk fang and its blood… Yes, yes I know all of that, but what's that have to do with now?"

"Aunt Ginny kept a shadow of him…"

"Why would anyone wish to do that?" Daphne stared at her in disbelief.

"I guess she didn't wish to revert to being shy again, so she's kept a shadow of him in her head this whole time."

"Unreal…"

"Oh, it gets better. You see he only influences her actions when she's been forbidden to do something that she wants to do or pines to have. In this case she wanted to play in the World Cup and give DJ a sibling too. So she lied to Uncle Draco and the others for months and months and almost got away with it, but DJ found out about it..."

"And all of this came out on Monday?"

Dani nodded.

"So, what you're saying is that Voldemort is still alive and in your Aunt's head?"

"No of course not, he's dead and has been for six years. Tom Riddle's seventeen-year-old self or a shadow of him is lurking about in her head, but Daddy is gonna make it all better again." Dani corrected her.

"So, you've been angry at her and focusing on that, which is why you're not getting any better." Daphne surmised.

"Yeah, pretty much, but I'm fine with it now, because Daddy and Mummy explained it all to me." She was fighting off sleep caused by the medicine that she had taken a while ago. "Sorry, if I'm getting all sleepy, but Mummy gave me my medicine a little while ago and it makes me sleepy."

"Oh, I know all about that, but then sleep is what helps you get better again." Daphne smiled knowingly at her. "Now as for the other the sooner you get better the sooner I get to go flying up on one of the Griffs, because I'm not going until you're well enough to go with me." She picked up the tray and set Dani's juice on her nightstand.

"I'll keep that in mind." Dani snuggled down under the covers. "Oh, could you do me a favor and go check on the Unicorns for me and keep an eye on Missy?"

"I adore Missy already." Daphne smiled. "Mummy's protective today, so I'll go see the Unicorns with her and Daddy after Dinner. Do they have names?"

"In the first stall are Night, Moon, and their twin foals Dreamer and Kismet. Then in the next stall are Diamond and Joker and their Son Clover. Lastly are Raine and Tempest and their daughter Sassy. You've met Missy already she's got a brother and sister named Baily and Lolly who are with MJ, Izzy, and my sisters right now. Their other siblings Lucky and Lulu are with Uncle Wills, Aunt Rory, Uncle Henry, and Aunt Dromi."

Crooks and Pepper slinked into the room to see the new arrival and to come snooze with Dani.

"That's Crookshanks and Pepper." Dani yawned as the cats hopped up to curl up on her bed. "Kitty's this is Daphne."

"Oh, I can't believe that I'm getting to meet Crookshanks not that Pepper isn't just as wonderful because she is." Daph cried in delight and set the tray down on the nightstand, so she could pet the cats.

"Where did it go?" She nearly jumped in fright when the tray vanished off the nightstand.

"It was sent to the kitchen. It's no big. You see anything kitchen oriented when set down empty on a table or something like that is sent down to the kitchen…" Dani was having a time of it staying awake.

"It's the wizarding way of keeping things nice and tidy." Albus and Minerva appeared in Dani's room. "Hello Daphne welcome home." He smiled warmly at her.

"Oh my goodness…" Daphne couldn't believe her eyes.

"It's quite all right child. Yes, it's true that my husband is quite the legend and I suppose thanks to Jo so am I, but we're just an Aunt and Uncle checking on their under the weather niece." Minerva walked over to the other side of Dani's bed and took her measure.

"Auntie, you be nice this is all new to her." Dani mumbled sleepily.

"I don't mean to stare…its just that meeting the two of you is a honor." Daphne finally composed herself enough to speak.

"Nonsense, dear child, the honor is ours to meet a girl with such courage and strength as you have shown over these past few weeks. You and your parents are a welcome addition to our family." Minerva satisfied that Dani was healing nicely walked over to Daphne and smiled down at her. "This one could learn a great deal from you."

"Oh, not that again…we've talked already…I'll be… good." Dani drifted off to sleep.

"I'm really curious about my new school."

"As you should be," Albus winked at her. "Let's the three of us leave Dani to her slumber and go have a chat about the wondrous challenges and exciting adventures that await you."

"Oh, that's a lovely idea, Albus. Dani should sleep until morning and the cats will watch over her." Minerva held out her hand to her.

"Yes, I'd like that very much." Daphne took her hand and the three of them vanished from Dani's room.

--

Later at Dinner that evening.

"Fantastic! This world is amazing. You've taken the most mundane of chores and simplified them to the point of being almost pleasant. Cooking normally a lengthy and tedious task has been shortened by three-quarters of the time. You've taken the task of having to go out and shop for your ingredients completely out of the equation…" Tim was soaking every new experience in like a sunbather soaked up sunshine.

"Oh, we still go shopping. It's good for the girls to experience the normalcies of both worlds." Hermione corrected him. "You see by simplifying mundane tasks we can allow more time for more important things like spending time with our families."

"In other words you've taken the stress out of life, but didn't cut corners by doing so. This dinner for example is five stars." Lilah savored every bite of her meal. "I've dined in some of the finest establishments in the world and this is superb cuisine."

"Thank you Lilah for the kind words." James like Harry loved to cook and having his creations praised always made him feel top-notch no matter what his mood.

"Yes, thank you for the words of praise." Harry poured himself some more elderberry wine. "Just like in the muggle world at least when it comes to cooking not everyone in our world can actually cook."

"Oh?" Tim arched a brow at him.

"But even if one can't cook a main meal, quite often he or she has the ability to create five-star quality sweets." Harry not wanting to step on either his mother or Hermione's feelings added hastily.

"Nice save son." James saluted him with his goblet of elderberry wine.

"The fact is that not everyone can be brilliant at every aspect of their lives and it matters not which world you live in." Hermione wasn't as touchy as she used to be about this particular subject, but it still irked her that she couldn't cook. "For example both Dad and Harry are commonplace when it comes to the field of healing where as Mum and I both excel at it."

"You'll get no arguments from me on that, but then neither dad nor myself tried to kill either of you with our cooking now did we." Harry shot back coolly.

"Food poisoning not only that but severe food poisoning ain't no picnic." James shot Lily and Hermione a look.

"Nor was either incident intentional, but you two will never let us forget it." Lily not pleased with the current discussion picked up one of the sweets, in this case a strawberry creation that she had made for one of the desserts, and smashed it into James face.

"I know exactly how you feel, Mum." Hermione picked up the dessert dish containing her triple chocolate trifle and dumped the contents over Harry's head. "It does get irritating sometimes."

:I'd retaliate in kind, but the teens, the Cooper's, Uncle Albus and even Aunt Minerva do not seem the least bit amused by yours and Mum's stunt.: Harry used their link to snarl at his wife. Calmly got to his feet to go wash off in the kitchen sink.

"Don't you even think of it you two." Minerva shot Donavan and Bastion a sharp look.

"Who us?" Bastion and Donavan shrugged. "We've got a few cars left to wash." They took their dessert and beat a hasty retreat.

"I'm going to go um help them." Bree vanished.

"Please forgive Lily and Hermione for their sudden lack of manners. Lily is expecting a little one and evidently Hermione is still subject to sudden moods." Minerva apologized to Tim and Lilah for the spectacle occurring before them at the dinner table.

"Actually dearest the two of them have always been petulant about not being able to prepare daily meals for their families." Albus wasn't the least bit upset and calmly drank elderberry wine from his goblet.

"Oh, I'm not appalled by this in any way." Lilah smiled serenely at Minerva. "I have never really shined in the kitchen. Whereas my tries at cooking have never resulted in any of my family being sent to hospital they have provided for many an upset stomach."

"We love your sweets though, my darling." Tim kissed her on the cheek.

"Yes, I can make a smashing pudding, tart, or biscuit though can't I." She winked at Daphne.

"This is it in a nutshell. Woman in our family rarely excel in cooking anything, but the sweet portion of the meal and they loathe it that we can." James wiped sticky gooey strawberry pie filling off his face with a damp cloth. :You'll pay for that later darling.:He glared at his wife, as he used_ Scourgify_ to finish cleaning off the gooey mess that not only was all over his face but had dripped all over his shirt.

"The two of you have no right to take it out on either of us." Harry growled, as he doused his head with the kitchen sink sprayer and set about getting the mess out of his hair. "Neither of you have ever landed in St. Mungo's for four days or more with severe food poisoning like we have."

"My case was purely unintentional, because Lil's hadn't a clue that she wasn't all O's in the kitchen." James now that he was once again clean sat back down to finish his sweet.

"Mine was basically the same, only Mum was there with Hermione, and knew that all the signs for disaster were there, but chose to let things play out instead of protecting her own son." Harry gave up on using water to get out the mess in his hair, so he gave in and cast _Scourgify_ on it and his clothes.

"The scene played out hilariously in the final film and the fans loved it."

"That's because all his reactions were quite real and no acting was even necessary." Harry chuckled.

"Poor kid was sick for a week." James smirked.

"It's not funny." Lily chose this time to pour what was left in the nearly full pitcher of fruit punch over his head.

Hermione chose to focus on the pitcher of ice water that was sitting behind Harry on the kitchen island and had it pour all of its icy contents over his head. "No funny it is not nor was your practical joke on him warranted."

:Cut it out, Hermione!: Harry was slowly losing his temper. "Look it wasn't my idea nor was I there! The whole crew including Emma was in on it! It's not my fault that she's a worse cook than you and Mum combined! Hell I didn't even think that was possible."

"If we're pointing out the negative then we have to include the males in this family often believe that self-sacrificing themselves is always the best way. They tend to take matters into their own hands instead of relying on others, and are basically clueless when it comes to matters of the heart." Hermione shot those zingers into play.

"You see where food is a sore spot for Hermione you might say listing his failures is Harry's." Albus explained what was up to Tim, Delilah, and Daphne.

"That beloved is an understatement if ever I've heard one." Minerva decided that it was time to retreat and get Daphne out of earshot of what was no doubt going to be not suitable for young impressionable ears. "Come along Daphne. Albus and I will take you down to the barn and show you the Unicorns."

"Yes, sweetie, you run along with them. We'll be along shortly." Tim smiled at his daughter.

"But it's just getting good…" Daphne pouted.

"Hagrid should be doing his evening check on the foals."

"Daphne this sparing match is not meant for you to see. Now off you go." Lilah ordered her daughter.

"All right I'm going, but…" Daphne found herself picked up by Albus and then the three of them vanished.

--

Now that all the innocents and the patriarch and matriarch of the family were gone all gloves were off.

"That was way bellow the belt, Annie." Harry's voice was lethally soft, to anyone who knew him a sure sign that his temper was on slow boil. He was wielding a custard pie topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce in one hand, and a pitcher of ice water was in the other.

"Maybe, but it's all…" Hermione's snide comment was cut short by getting pied in the face that was immediately followed by having a pitcher of ice water poured over her head, both of which were aimed with flawless magical precession.

"I happen to value the lives of the people I love above my own. I had a destiny to fulfill and there was more than just your lives on the line or are you forgetting the whole bloody Wizarding World was at stake! That took precedence over my love life or deciphering the hundreds of mixed signals that you were giving out about me and Ron! Yes, I take matters into my own hands! Hell I wouldn't be standing here today if I hadn't! My Achilles heel has been and always will be you! So keeping you out of the loop allowed me to keep focused on my fate! I could bloody well careless if you can cook or not! It was an honest statement and you both blew it way out of context! Dromi, Rory, Grandma Violet, Grandma Anna, Aunt Jenna, Aunt Gene, and your mother all can't cook, but then you only focus on you, you, you! I need air! I'm going to go check on Gin!" Harry let Hermione have it and then turned to address Tim and Lilah.

"Tim, Lilah, you have my most sincere apology for all our actions. They were childish and not appropriate by any means." That said he vanished in a brilliant flash of his signature light, followed by an ominous flash of lighting, and a boom of thunder that lit up the twilight and broke the quite silence of the summer night. There was no doubt that Godric's Hollow would assume that their prince was in a temper about something and would leave it at that.

"Nice going you two! He's going to go take on Gin and Draco's unwanted guest! Not clearheaded mind you, but in a full-blown temper!" James glowered at Lily and Hermione.

"We're just hormonal…" Lily stared up at him with eyes pooled with tears.

"We can't help it…" Hermione whimpered.

"I should have Bastion come in here and muck out the dining room, because we're knee-deep in it and rising." James snarled at the two of them. "It doesn't even matter to either of you that all he was trying to do was keep his mind off Gin's unwanted guest and the task ahead of him. All you could think of was your feelings and nothing else!"

"Enough! Don't make me have to crawl down there! You woke the boys and me! Now cool it!" Dani's snarl echoed from the kitchen intercom. "And who cheesed off Daddy? Now he'll go off and do something rash like he's prone to when he's peeved at Mummy, and the snake in Aunt Gin's head is the only game in the UK worth going rounds with."

Tim and Lilah frowned at James, Lily, and Hermione. "What's she talking about?"

"Ginny has a sliver of Tom Riddle's seventeen-year-old essence lurking about in her head. He's been her darker conscience for eleven years or so, but has never slipped until recently that is with the incident this past Monday." James filled them in.

"And that's why Dani was hurt?"

"Riddle influences her to lie to get her own way. In this case DJ discovered her lie. The result of that was him being off the scales furious with his parents and Dani tried her best to make it better again. Gin's four months with twins and wished to still play in the World Cup next Saturday…"

"Even as a shadow that thing continues to bring nothing, but grief." Lilah growled.

"DJ has dream visions and him confiding to Draco about his feelings on what he knew and what he had seen put a foil to anything like that." James hadn't thought of Riddle being up to his old tricks again. The very thought of it was enough to make his blood boil, but then her words rang true.

"Good will triumph in the end. I never was a believer in that, until I read the books written by Harry and Hermione. Knowing that this was an anthology of their life at Hogwarts and not fiction made it all frighteningly clear of the ordeals that all of you have gone through." Tim voiced his say on the matter. "Truth be told his and the others selfless actions saved us all from a terrible fate."

"Yeah…yeah…Daddy's the greatest. Now someone come tend the boys!" Dani was one very grouchy little girl.

Lily and Hermione vanished without a word.

"Shall we go see the unicorns then?" Lilah suggested.

"I'll show you the unicorns and our Griffs." James was only too happy to show them around the back grounds, he desperately needed the fresh air to cool off his simmering temper. "We'll go out the Kitchen door." And the three of them were off to join Daph, Albus, and Minerva.

--

Chapter 12

Pest Control

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	12. Pest Control

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 12

Pest Control

--

Harry decided to prowl around for a while, as Prince. His human form and the baggage that came with it was the last thing he wanted at least for a few hours or so. The moon was full and that part of him longed for a lengthy prowl around Godric's Hollow.

Hermione's words cut deep and he had no intention of going anywhere near her at least for tonight. It would take that long for his temper to cool towards her and with his parents back she had more than enough help with the boys. Dani would sleep hopefully till noon, before growling to be released from bed rest again. Daphne was there now, so hopefully she'd stay put as ordered, but then she was his daughter, so odds were that she'd be growling come morning to be allowed more freedom.

He didn't wish to mull on that tonight, no between his parents, Tim, Lilah, the teens, and Hermione they could easily see to the boys and Dani without him. Freedom for one full night called him and with a cry to the moon he shot off into the forest.

--

Donavan's keen hearing zeroed in on the rebellious cry of a familiar wolf. "Harry's gone AWOL." He finished polishing the Aston Martin, it was the last of the cars, and the one the boys took the utmost care with.

"The way Hermione was acting at dinner it would serve her right if he did." Bastion ran his hand lovingly over the cherry red fender of the martin god he loved this car.

"That howling wolf was Prince?" Bree was stowing away the car scrubbing supplies back in the carport.

"The moons full and his favorite animagus form is a wolf, so unless that's Uncle James, Uncle Remus, Uncle Sirius, or Draco then odds are that was Harry. Not to mention that wolves are not indigenous to this part of Wales." Bastion rolled his eyes at her.

"But the boys and Dani might need him."

"After Hermione's actions, he'll let her suffer, until he can stand to see her again." Donavan tossed Bastion the keys. "You take care of the Aston. I feel like going for a run."

"If he's gone off to brood as Prince you'll never catch him in Wizarding form." Bree got all miss-know-it-all with him.

"Who says I'm going as is." Donavan blew her a kiss before changing into his most highly kept secret, a wolf with fur the color of rich caramel and striking sapphire blue eyes. Minerva, Albus, Severus, Sybil, Gene, Remus, Charlie, Tonks, and Stephen were the only ones who were aware the four of them could change to animagus.

"Donavan we swore to keep that a secret!" Bastion glowered down at him in frustration. "Besides, he's still steamed at you and you're still grounded."

"You boys all achieved animagus forms?!" Bree was stunned to say the least.

"Mines a dog and not a wolf. He's kind of like Uncle Sirius's animagus, Sean's is a falcon, and Alan's is a phoenix. It's all supposed to be a secret, since we're not even graduated yet, and Uncle Stephen knows so we're not unregistered or anything like that." Bastion went to change into his animagus form and then back again.

"YOU KEPT A SECRET OF THIS HUGE FROM ME, MORIA, AMI, AND BIANCA!" Bree was beyond furious with them.

"Bree it's not like that!" Donavan was back to himself again. "I achieved it end of the first term. I'd been researching about it for weeks, because it seemed like the ultimate challenge for me and the guys walked in while I was showing Uncle Remus and Charlie that I'd finally achieved my goal."

"We only achieved it just before end of this term…" Bastion warily eyed his twin.

"GOODY FOR ALL OF YOU!! I'M GOING TO BED!!" Bree gave in to the urge to jinx the tar out of their sorry hides and then vanished.

"THIS IS JUST BLOODY BRILLIANT DONAVAN! NOW WE'VE GOTTA COME CLEAN WITH ALL THE GIRLS. WHO LIKE BREE WILL NO DOUBT HAVE HURT FEELINGS AND REFUSE TO SPEAK TO US FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER!" Bastion roared at him.

"Focus on that later! We've got to sneak the potion to cure our rashes first then deal with the rest later." Donavan's skin felt like it was on fire and was itching in places that he didn't want to think about, because the rash was spreading from his head to his toes.

"Potion!? We'll need Aunt Lily or Hermione to give us something a hell of a lot stronger than that!" He scratched at his arm.

"What did you two do now?" James after seeing how upset that Bree had been decided to go check on the boys. "Bree's in a mood and has closed herself in her room for the night and by the looks of things she got the two of you but good."

"Wise arse here lost his mental faculties again and turned into his animagus form in front of Bree!"

"She got all pissy about it like we'd betrayed her by keeping it from her and the rest of the girls." Donavan grumbled. "Bastion I can't help that I get the urge to take off for a while! My animagus is a wolf and Harry's cry to the moon adds to it and I forgot myself."

"Say that again? Harry's what?" James frowned.

"Cry to the moon roughly translated I believe it's more like… the hell with you Hermione. I'm taking off for a while. Have fun minding the little ones." Donavan scratched at his leg.

Prince's cry echoes throughout the quiet night as if making sure that his princess had gotten his message loud and clear.

"Yeah, that's a rebellious cry all right." James knew he wasn't going to be getting any sleep tonight, because the females of the manor would no doubt have him out looking for Harry when midnight had come and went and he'd yet to come home. "He'll be a bitch to find too…"

"We could always join him." Sebastian suggested.

"Not possible all that you'll do is sit and scratch with a rash like that. I'll just wake Sirius, Remus, Ron, Logan, Kane, Mac, and Draco. Harry's never ditched Hermione before and if that's the case he'll be nearly impossible to find, because he can be any animal he chooses."

"Why do females have to be so damned sensitive about everything?" Donavan muttered darkly.

"That kid is an unsolved mystery. Now let's get the two of you looked over by Lily." James herded the two of them back inside.

--

(Dragon Manor)

Draco sat outside on his deck, while he chatted with Ron on the phone. "Yeah, I heard him. Sounds like he's in a mood."

"Hermione must have really stepped in it big for him to take off like this. I mean Dani's still recuperating, the twins are barely a month old, and it's the Cooper's first night at the manor." Ron was also sitting on his deck directly across the lake across from Draco's manor.

"This whole situation with Gin has him on edge. Hell it has all of us on edge, but this is more like a 'the hell with what you think I'm staying away until I don't want to throttle your neck' type mood." Draco got up to pace.

"Meaning that Hermione threw the past into his face again and set him off like this."

"Donavan's stunt this morning had him riled up already."

"The kids got balls pulling a stunt like that. He's also lucky Harry didn't really lay into him." Ron smirked.

"_Obliviate _more than put him in his place."

"That and a long list of chores…"

Prince padded up the steps to Draco's deck and sat down in front of him.

"We were just talking about you." Draco stared down into his big brother's intense green eyes.

"Is he there?"

"Yeah, he's here."

"Be right there." Ron hung up.

"So wanna talk about it?" Draco motioned to one of the deck lounges.

Prince padded over to the other edge of the deck and glared out at the moonlit lake.

"That bad eh…" Draco had never seen him act like this. Usually, he'd revert to being Harry and vent at him until he was cooled off enough to go home.

Prince growled.

"Look big brother you can't go on strike this weekend. You've got Dani and the twins to think about." Draco frowned.

Prince turned to glare at him, clearly saying wanna bet.

"Well what's she gone and done this time?" Ron appeared on Draco's deck.

"Obviously, enough to make him wish to go on strike for the weekend," Draco pointed at Prince.

"Blimey mate that's a bit drastic don't ya think?" Ron walked over to try to reason with him, only to have Prince snarl at him in response.

"You were saying?"

"Bloody hell, she didn't bring up the past again did she?"

Prince grumbled and growled.

"And in front of the Cooper's? Well, that's bound to put your hackles up then isn't it?" Ron raked his fingers through his hair trying to think of a solution to this current row between his two best friends.

"She dumped trifle on my head and then a pitcher of ice water, before she threw my faults in my face." Harry muttered darkly. "So, no, I don't wish to be around her right now. Mum, Dad, the Cooper's, the teens, Dobby, Kreacher, and Winky are all still at home. The twins and Dani will be fine while I watch little-miss-I can-do-everything-just-watch-me juggle everything by herself! Dad should do the same with Mum for pieing him in the face and dousing him with juice, but then she's expecting our baby sister Laurie, so he'll no doubt forgive her."

"Why did mum and Hermione go all Peeves on you and Dad to start with?" Draco wanted to hear both sides of what happened.

"Tim's fascinated by our world and so naturally he has endless questions, not to mention theories on everything. I corrected him when he assumed that everyone was skilled at cooking then Mum and Hermione went all Peeves on Dad and I…"

"Did the whole food poisoning thing come up?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, after Hermione called Dad and I amateurs healer wise, I shot that into play." Harry conjured himself a shot of fire whiskey and downed it in one swallow. "The night is young and I wish to enjoy roaming it at my leisure." In the blink of an eye he reverted to Prince and leaped off the deck.

"Damn it to blood hell big brother, just chalk it up to hormones and be done with it!" Draco shouted after him.

"Yeah! She'll have the whole village out searching for your arse!" Ron was in full agreement.

It was no use Prince was gone.

"I'm not going after him now or when Dad calls. She beyond stepped in it and one night away won't hurt her any." Draco headed back into the house.

"Same here night Draco," Ron vanished.

--

"Twenty cities around the world, god it's good to be home." Daniel walked out onto the deck of his and Emma's Godric's Hollow country estate and breathed in the fresh night air.

"Yes, it's lovely to be home where we can relax and be ourselves." Emma wrapped her arms around his waist and nestled her chin against his shoulder.

"Happy first anniversary wife," Daniel turned her in his arms and kissed her.

"I love you husband of mine." Emma smiled up at him. "I love my present too. I couldn't have asked for a more special gift for our first anniversary."

"I haven't given it to you yet…" Daniel kissed her nose.

Emma took his hand, placed it her tummy, and then covered it with her own. "Daniel, I'm sure that whatever trinket you had designed for me is beautiful, but I was referring to the little miracle that we created together."

"You mean we're…" Daniel's eyes lit up with joy, wonder, and happiness. "A baby?" He twirled her around in his arms.

Emma nodded. "I took one of those tests during our last stop in New York City. I've been feeling so drained as of late and things have been so hectic for weeks that I hadn't noticed certain things. I mean with university correspondence courses and our schedules it's constantly us on the go."

Daniel stared down into her eyes. "Emmy are you okay?"

"Don't be silly. I'm wonderful." Em blinked back happy tears. "I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out on Monday, but…"

"Sweetie, at that point I was running on adrenaline doing press about Young James Bond and you were attending meetings about cutting your first album…"

"I sat there in Virgin Records thinking of our baby not paying the least attention to anyone around me. My single going triple platinum was not even registering to me. I do recall getting up in the middle of a discussion about my first tour. Not saying a word mind you and leaving to go shop." Emma giggled. "Richard tracked me down at FAO Swartz, where I was admiring the vast collection of plushies, woolgathering about if we were having a boy or a girl, and a million other things about the baby. He asked if anything was wrong or if I were unhappy with what they had planned."

"What did SC do?" Daniel chuckled. "Sit and brood?"

"No. He's too much like Severus and I was really off in my own world daydreaming about anything but my music career or acting career for that matter…"

"He looked without asking?!" Daniel fumed.

"Daniel, he's a master at Legilimens and I was broadcasting like a beacon." Em rolled her eyes at him. "I'm a triple threat, positively golden to him, so my spacing out worried him."

"The only thing that worries SC is the bottom line. I'll bet he was none too pleased."

"He told Richard that I was pushing myself too much, that a tour was out of the question, and I'd cut my album at my leisure. After all, I'm Emma Watson Oscar, Gold Globe, BAFTA, Actor, Critics Choice winner beloved by millions of fans. Not someone starting out at the bottom of the rung. I'd been working since I was ten years old nearly nonstop give or take six months or a year and that gave me the right to set my own pace regarding my music career. Becoming a dad has really changed him for the better."

"Fine I'll let it go this time." Daniel hugged her to him.

"Richard added newlywed of nearly a year and most likely wanting to focus on you instead of music or a tour." Emma yawned. "Goodness me one moment I'm all energy and the next I'm ready for a nice long snooze."

"It's going on midnight let's get you and our baby tucked into bed for the night." Daniel swept her up into his arms.

"I didn't even tell you the best part yet. You had that interview with OK magazine as soon as we got in this afternoon and I complained of jet lag and a headache…" Emma blinked sleepily up at him.

"Yes sweetness, I told the driver to take you home after he dropped me off at their offices." Daniel carried her back inside.

"I called Lucy because she's the first baby doctor that popped into my head and the best in her field. She requested, no more like ordered, me to get my tush to her office. Gin's stunt really must have everyone in grouchy moods. Anyway, as soon as I got to our flat in London I changed into something more comfortable and went to see her. She pronounced me and the baby in glorious health." Emma chattered away, as he got her ready for bed dressing her in her favorite sleep shirt.

"I'll call her up in the morning and get the full report." Daniel kissed her on the forehead and tucked her in.

"No more work. I need to focus on our baby for the next seven months or so and you of course…just not acting, singing…" She drifted off to sleep the second her head hit her pillow.

Daniel went back outside to sit on their private terrace. "I wanted a change of pace…a new direction…I guess this is a sign." He found himself staring at a jet-black wolf. "What happened this time?"

"Sorry baby brother not gonna go there. So how was the publicity blitz for Young 007?" Harry was now standing in front of him.

"Why aren't you dead on your feet? Dani must be driving both you and Hermione crackers and the twins are barely a month old." Daniel didn't need intuition to see that Harry was in a temper about something.

"I'm the bloody 'Chosen One' aren't I?! I can handle anything." Harry grumbled.

"What the hell crawled up your arse this time?" Daniel narrowed his eyes at him. "You know that all of us! The ones that matter anyway think that 'Chosen One' title is rubbish! You're just like anyone else and have your limits and faults!"

"Look wise arse! I'm having one hell of a lousy day! Gin's got Riddle walkin around in her head! Dani laid into me, then Mum and Hermione went mental on Dad and me during dinner! Uncle Albus, Aunt Minerva, the Cooper's, Bree, Bastion, and Donnie all had front row seats! They used us for dessert and beverage target practice over nothing!" Harry was regretting checking in on the newlyweds, but he hadn't touched base with Daniel and Em in months, except for e-mail, instant messages, texting, web cam, or phone. "Happy birthday/ anniversary baby brother. I'm out of here." He went to leave.

Daniel grabbed him by the arm.

"Look, if you don't let go of my arm I will hurt you."

"I can more than hold my own against you in a fair nonmagic fight, now sit down and we'll talk." Daniel pointed to one of the chairs on the terrace, now twenty-one, he and Harry were almost identical.

"Go snuggle with Em. I've got prowling to get back to." Harry glared down at Daniel's fingers and they got red-hot in seconds. "Let go of my arm Daniel Jacob."

"Son of a bitch! Harry that hurt!" He let go of his arm, his hand felt scorched yet there wasn't a mark on it.

"I meant it to. Mortals are easily tricked by mere suggestion. I expected a hell of a lot more resistance from you." Harry conjured himself his second shot of fire whiskey of the night and downed it. "You can perform basic magic, spells; even cast a weak fire in a pinch, so I was expecting something other than your wimping out."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but jet lag, fatigue, and my being ready to drop. Months of work, keeping up with my university classes and Emma have tapped out my energy and what little magic I have." Daniel took the glass from him and sniffed it that alone was enough to make his own head swim. "Bloody hell big brother! How many of these have you had?"

"Two so far, but the night is young." Harry focused on the glass and it vanished. "Start a family little brother that should give you more than enough time to rest before going on to the next role of a lifetime. The sky's the limit just don't do that play again. I still haven't forgiven you for choosing Equis as your breakaway performance from being me."

"Go home big brother. Hermione must be wondering where you are by now." Daniel growled ignoring that last remark knowing full well that broaching that subject could get him jinxed. It just so happened that he'd been offered the role again, only this time it was a remake of the film. He hadn't decided if he was gonna say yes or tell them to shelve it until a year or so from now after Emma had the baby. The play had earned him a Tony as well as the British equivalent of the American award and high acclaim from everyone in his field. It had been a rough patch with Emma, but then he'd put his ring on her finger as a vow that she was his and his alone. So she had gritted her teeth and supported him in the way a proper girlfriend should.

"I mean it Daniel Jacob no Equis period or I lay the smack down on your sorry hide! I know all about the movie offer and there is no way that I am gonna go through that tripe again!"

Daniel wisely kept his mouth shut. After all there was always the Spielberg or Lucas films that they'd offered him. It wasn't worth getting AK'd again or suffering from a god-awful year of off and on jinxes or worse. For now he would focus on Emma, their baby, and the rest would wait.

"Now as for my going home, not gonna happen I've been gone nearly four hours. Let her stew on that. Besides, she threw the past in my face again and I'm still steamed at her about that." Harry transfigured himself into an owl and flew off into the night.

"I'm too tired to decipher this mess. I'm going to bed." He went to back into the house.

--

(Sanctuary)

James narrowed his eyes at the two women pacing in front of him. "The answer is no."

"It's two in the morning and he's not back yet!" Lily glared at James.

"He's nearly twenty-five not fifteen and it's your fault that he went off to brood in the first place!" James went back to reading his finished manuscript. "Go to bed. I'm working."

"Dad he's never done anything like this, even in the foulest of moods he always comes home to me!" Hermione burst into tears.

"Cry me a river. You especially kitten were vicious at dinner tonight and over nothing." James glared at her. "He's keyed up as it is and you made him even worse. The moon is full this weekend pray he doesn't take a break from you weekend. The boys won't have it and Dani will only add to your hell."

"James unless you wish to be banished to the Guestroom for the next few months I suggest you go find him." Lily growled.

"I'll do you one better, Evans!! I'll go join him!" James vanished from the Common Room couch.

:James Harry, I am not amused!: Lily hadn't foreseen this turn of events and it was angering her.

:Neither was I at dinner tonight! See how well you do without us for two days!: James had already stowed all the necessities for a no girls allowed men only weekend, took his leave from the manor, and locked her out of his mind.

"Damn it James two days is not fair." Lily felt sick to her stomach. "It's daddy's fault not mine…" She raced for the bathroom.

"Two days…" Hermione burst into tears. "The boys and Dani will never speak to me again, because I chased their Daddy away!"

As if on cue the boys woke up in lousy moods.

"Mummy will be right with you babies." Hermione went to tend to her sons.

--

"Not even if you crawled, Hermione Anne, begging for my forgiveness." Harry sensed his sons' unhappiness, but a lesson had to be learned, so he continued to scout out a nice place to camp for the weekend.

"Let's go north. I'm thinking Loch Ness or we could crash in one of a dozen places." James appeared beside him.

"I hear the Isle is quite because of a virus of some sort. Why rough it when we can crash in the palace." Harry grinned at his father.

"You can get a feel for the stadium while we're there." James was in full agreement.

"All we're good for in their eyes is diaper duty, cooking meals, and to be around to shag at their leisure. Let them see how it's like without us for a few days." Harry growled.

"Gin's situation might be trickier than we thought, so we can devise a strategy in peace."

"Yeah, I know and I can't focus here not when I'm still steamed at Hermione." Harry and James vanished.

--

The next morning

Dani woke up immediately sensing that her Daddy was gone. "Mum couldn't have bungled things up that badly."

"So, squirt time for your medicine and then we'll see about getting you some breakfast." Wills poked his head into her room.

"Momma called you four for support?" Dani frowned at her Uncle.

"Your Dad and Grandpa got called away early this morning." Wills gave her the potions. "You guys come first before royal duty, besides I welcome the change."

"Daddy and Grandpa went on strike for the weekend. Gram's and momma just said mission, because they don't want anyone else to desert them."

"Sweetie, missions come up without any notice. Your Dad and Grandfather are not on strike." Wills never tired of her imagination. "Now what do you want for breakfast?"

_Mum and Gran to eat crow._ Dani thought, as she crawled out of bed and headed for her bathroom. "I'm feeling better, so some hotcakes, maybe some sausage and juice would be lovely. Is Daph awake?"

"She's with Bastion down at the unicorn barn. It's nearly noon. Bree and Donavan are barely on speaking terms for some reason, but they aren't about to let that interfere with showing Tim and Lilah the site of their future home. Rory and Dromi are checking on your brothers. Your mum was up all night walking the floors with them and Mum was sick most of the morning. Henry is downstairs manning the kitchen, because Dobby, Kreacher, Winky and baby Piper are off on Holiday for the weekend."

"Call Uncle Draco, Uncle Ron, or any of them. No call Uncle Albus and Aunt Minerva and they'll verify that there's no mission and that Daddy and Grandpa are on strike." Dani was feeling almost like her self-again.

"Kiddo give it a rest, they did not desert your Mum or Gran." Wills chuckled, as he selected a summer play outfit for her to wear.

"Fine. I'll do it myself." Dani came out of her bathroom and stalked over to her computer. "Dial Uncle Draco's please."

"Danielle enough…"

"Well, look who's up and feeling better this morning." Draco's face appeared on the monitor. "Hello sunshine what can I help you with?"

"Daddy and Grandpa were sent off on an ubber serious mission, but I think that Daddy and Gramps are still peeved at Mum and Gran, so Mum is using that cover story to save face." Dani got straight to the point.

"Both of them?" Draco's brows shot up in surprise.

"Daddy's on strike." Dani nodded. "So is grandpa."

"Strike?"

"Uh-huh, momma used the past against Daddy in a quarrel for the last time and Grams got mad at Gramps over nothing. I mean the whole world knows they can't cook what's the big deal already." Dani nodded.

"He was in a mood last night when Ron and I talked with him." Draco frowned. "Dad wasn't with him though, but then Mum did pie dad in the face at dinner and then dump juice on him. Hermione dumped the trifle on big brother's head, then ice water after that over the food issue, and then shot the past at him for added effect."

"See Uncle Wills. I'm right their on strike." Dani shot her Uncle a triumphant look.

_Gods it's frightening how much she's like Hermione._ Wills thought as he took what they were saying in. "Draco do you have your map handy?"

"Yeah, just a sec I'll see where they went on their, uh, mission." Draco left the viewing area to get his map.

"He's not in the UK."

"Dani your magic is still tapped the two are most likely camping out somewhere." Wills ruffled the top of her head tenderly.

"They must have gone to Avalon. The map can't trace them anywhere on the planet." Draco came back to his monitor none too pleased. "I'm having a crisis of my own, but I didn't go off and brood. I need them here and by damn that's where they're going to be!" Draco ended the call.

"What's going on?"

"Aunt Gin's got Riddle on the brain and Uncle Draco's wigged out about it." Dani took the outfit and went back into the bathroom.

"Gin's got Voldemort running around in her head?" Wills tried to grasp the situation.

"Yes, yes, Uncle Wills do pay attention. Aunt Gin kept a shadow of him all this time in her head and now that decision is biting us all in the bum. Not all, but a small faction of the family has been privy to the news for a day now. It's caused disorder in the ranks." Dani answered back it was frustrating that brushing her teeth and getting dressed had exhausted most of her energy, but she was determine to at least get out of her room for part of the day. "All set let's go see what Uncle Henry made me for brunch." She immerged from her bathroom and smiled up at him.

"Whoa there Little Bit. I seriously doubt you've got the energy to make it down the stairs." Wills focused on her and not on the Riddle situation.

"That's what the lift is for." Dani pouted when he scooped her up into his arms.

"I'm gonna be King in four weeks. I can juggle many situations at once. So telling me about the chaos going on around here won't distract me from properly seeing to my recuperating niece."

"Can't blame a girl for trying," Dani blew her bangs out of her eyes in frustration.

"No kiddo you can't." Wills tweaked her on the nose.

"Daddy's gonna be peeved when he gets back, so much for teaching momma a lesson."

"The boys kept her up all-night and Mum is still miserable in bed, because baby Laurie is miffed at her. That in itself is torture." Wills countered.

"Yeah, that's true." Dani smirked. "Momma forgot Daddy's deal with the boys about the lift."

"The lift?"

"Uh-huh, it's the only way to settle them down when the two of them are on tear about something or really grouchy. Three trips up and down and they're asleep. Daddy promised them twice a day and never got around to it yesterday."

"Thanks that's good to know. Now any clue why Donavan and Bastion are sporting rashes and sore as all get out this morning?"

"They got in major hot water with daddy, so they had to do a shedload of chores like mow the lawns, wash the pets, de-gnome and weed the gardens, and wash the cars. That's why the two of them are sore, but about the other being sick in bed has me out of the loop this week." Dani pouted.

"Bree looked steamed at them at breakfast odds are she jinxed the tar out of them for some reason." Wills walked into the kitchen.

"I see our girl is up and about this morning." Henry smiled warmly at the two of them. "I've made mini hotcakes just for you."

"Baby steps," Dromi poured her a glass of juice. "Let's see how you do with hotcakes and go from there."

"Well Grandpa doesn't know what mission Daddy and Harry left on nor do any of the other members of the family." Rory frowned.

"That's because they're on strike." Dani eagerly dug into the plate of hotcakes, smothered in maple syrup, in front of her.

"Strike?" Rory, Henry, and Dromi frowned.

Wills got them all up to speed on what was going on.

"Gin's got Voldemort in her head?" Henry frowned.

"More like a shadow of him, but yeah." Dani nodded.

"Mum and baby sis chose a hell of a time to go Peeves on the two of them." Rory sighed in frustration.

"Daddy isn't gonna take it anymore, so he walked out for the weekend."

"Anyone home?" Daniel and Emma called from the entryway.

"In here you two," Wills called out.

"Yum, I smell hotcakes." Em sniffed the air, as soon as they joined them in the kitchen.

"None for me thanks." Daniel and food hadn't mixed all morning.

"Help yourself I made plenty of everything." Henry noticed that Em was radiant, but Daniel was green around the gills. "Happy belated first anniversary you two. Happy twenty-first to you Daniel."

"Thanks." Em set about stacking hotcakes on a plate then added whipped cream, strawberries, and chocolate sauce over them, finishing that off with a generous drenching of maple and blueberry syrup. "Oh and by the way we're going to have a baby." She beamed at all of them before sitting down and enjoying her snack.

"Congrats you two," Henry and Wills grinned.

"Yes congratulations." Rory smiled.

"Is Emma well?" Dromi asked.

"Better than that she's flourishing, she saw Luce yesterday and got a clean bill of health. She's two months along with our little one." Daniel made himself a cup of peppermint tea.

"Don't worry Uncle Danny. Daddy and the others survived on fruit and crackers, so can you." Dani smirked.

"That's good to know princess, so where is everyone?" Daniel sipped his tea.

"Hermione and Mum are in bed. Bastion and little Daphne are down at the unicorn barn. Bree and Donnie are showing Tim and Lilah the building site of their future home. Dad and Harry are…" Rory paused in midsentence.

"On strike." Dani finished for her.

"Have a seat Daniel and will fill you two in." Wills sighed.

"No need. I know all about it. Big brother and I talked last night." Daniel went to sit beside Em. "More like I talked and he growled, but it doesn't take Legilimens to know that he was off the scales furious with Hermione."

"Where did he and Uncle James go off to brood?" Em paused from eating her snack.

"Avalon is mine and Draco's guess. The two of them aren't traceable on the map."

"The Isle of Avalon is under strict quarantine and Unplottable on any map. Daddy and Harry went there to brood, besides it's where the World Cup is being held." Rory was enjoying a bowl of fresh strawberries and cream.

"Why camp when you have the palace to prowl about in." Dromi was also eating the same treat.

"Uncle Draco is searching Avalon for them. Boy is he gonna be steamed at them." Dani was finding all of this highly amusing.

"One way to find out," Daniel took out his Blackberry and speed dialed Harry's mobile. "That's if he's has it on him…"

"Here give it to me." Dani put her hand out. "He'll talk to me."

"He has to answer it first…" Daniel hated it when he got voice mail. "It's Daniel. I'm here with Dani, who really wants to talk to her Daddy." He left a message.

"Text him that and see what happens, but add miserable baby girl instead of just Dani." Em suggested, as she rummaged through the pantry for something salty to munch on.

"Oh and the boys miss him terribly. Hermione was up from two in the morning till past dawn with them." Dromi added.

"Mum is miserable in bed, because Laurie made her suffer as well." Rory thought that needed adding as well.

"The problem is this Daddy and Grandpa wants them to suffer, but then again they don't want the boys and me miserable either, so yes send it Uncle Danny it just might work." Dani pondered the situation before giving it her approval.

"Here goes nothing." Daniel entered the text and then hit send on his Blackberry.

--

(Quidditch World Cup Stadium)

Harry and James were exploring the stadium, a massive complex complete with concessions, souvenir booths, and gigantic screens with which the spectators could keep up with the match.

"I like this very much." Harry stood in the center of the pitch.

"Yeah, Marcus outdid himself this time, so anytime you're ready to tell me what's eating you up inside I'm here to listen." James arched a brow at his oldest son.

"My scar started to react last night at Draco's." Harry decided it best that it was time to confide all to his Dad. "Not acutely or anything like that, but it did tell me that something bad was about."

"Then he has been biding his time." James had been worried about that.

"He's still a powerless nothing…Just in extreme denial." Harry glared down at his mobile. It had been ringing nonstop off and on. "You would think they'd take a hint and give up already…" He read the text from Daniel and started swearing fluently for five minutes.

"What's up?" James took the mobile from him and read the message. "Be strong son."

"The boys and Dani…" Harry closed his eyes and focused on his kids. "The boys are upset, but sleeping and Dani's up and about chatting with Wills, Henry, Dromi, Rory, Daniel, and Em at the kitchen table. They're discussing us being on strike…Em's expecting by the sounds of it."

"Sounds to me like all oh them are trying to guilt us into coming back home."

"No mum is miserable in bed. Hermione's exhausted after being up with the boys all morning, so she's in bed too." Harry focused on the two of them.

"We devise a plan to get rid of Riddle first then think of going home."

"Dad, remember Draco telling us that DJ used to chat with him before he was born?"

"He could chat with him, but rarely chatted with Gin. What's your point?"

"It's crowded in here Dada make it go away…It's loud make it stop….we're requests that puzzled Draco, but what if Riddle was trying to take DJ as his new host?"

"DJ is a powerful little guy with a strong will and mind…"

"Yes, I know and Riddle didn't have a chance in hell of succeeding…"

"The girls…" James swore.

"My thoughts exactly and the sooner he's history the better I'll feel." Harry growled.

"You and me both, but you need to be focused…"

"I am focused…anger clouds the mind and I tossed that out of my head hours ago." Harry eyed his mobile again it was Draco. "Relax little brother we're coming back home." He answered the call.

"Damn right you two are getting your asses back here!" Draco snarled. "I'll not have my girls tormented like DJ was by that bastard!"

"He's not strong enough to do anything, but pester them. I had to clear my head and devise a game plan and to do that I needed space." Harry calmly replied.

"The Guestrooms are space! The isle is not!"

"A lesson needed to be learned and we've proven our point." James growled.

"And by doing so all that you've done is upset the boys and baby Laurie?"

"Fine! I was selfish for once in my life! We'll be home in an hour!" Harry ended the call.

"He's just worried about Gin and his girls."

"I know that Dad…" His mobile rang again. "Daddy's going to be home in a little while Dani."

"The boys are howling again and none of the usual tricks are working."

"Not even the lift?"

"No Daddy they want you. Not me, mum, Aunt Rory, Aunt Dromi, Uncle Henry, Uncle Wills, Uncle Danny, or Aunt Emmy you."

"Message received Babydoll." Harry felt lower than low. "You're not mad are you princess?"

"No, because I know why you both left, but the boys are little and don't understand. Oh and Grams is getting sick in the loo again."

"Be right there baby." Harry ended the call.

"Let's go home son we're needed." James felt lower than Flobberworm mucus.

--

(Sanctuary)

"Well?" Wills and Henry were in the Common Room walking the floor with the boys.

"They're coming home," Dani tossed the Blackberry back to Daniel. "Actually, they were coming back in an hour, but I mentioned the boys." Dani put her earmuffs back on and went back to reading her Grandfather's manuscript.

"Problems?" Harry and James appeared in the Common room and the boys instantly stopped bawling.

"Come here Jamie." Harry walked over and took him from Wills. "We're home. We just had to consult with someone about Gin's situation and he's vacationing on the Isle." He set Jamie on his shoulder and gently rubbed his back.

James was doing the same with Rafe. "Chen's enjoying the tranquillity of the palace."

"And?"

"Gin has to willingly evict him from her mind, but that's only after I lure him out into the open." Harry paused when Jamie burped. "There now the bubble in your tummy is gone." He crooned at his son now contently sleeping on his shoulder.

"Both our little guys had a tummy ache." James also burped Rafe and he settled off to sleep.

"Dad let's put them down in their cribs." Harry whispered softly.

"Be right back."

The two of them vanished.

"You need lots more practice, but then my sisters and I weren't nearly as fussy as our brothers." Dani glanced up at them.

"They were grouchy already and chugged down their bottles. Neither of the boys is crazy about formula either." Wills grumbled.

"Just kidding, Uncle Wills. They wanted Daddy or Grandpa. You were doing fine." Dani smirked.

"The twins are blissfully sleeping and Dad is looking in on Mum." Harry appeared beside Wills.

"How's Hermione?" They asked.

"Not my priority at the moment the kids are." Harry walked over to the couch and picked up Dani. "Are you giving them a hard time?"

"No Daddy just teasing them a bit." Dani snuggled against his shoulder. "Still peeved at Mum, huh?"

"I'm considering moving into one of the Guestrooms for a while, so yeah munchkin I'm just a wee bit peeved at your Mum." Harry kissed her on the top of her head.

"Uncle Draco's not happy with you or grandpa." Dani yawned.

"Yes sweetie, I'm well aware of it." Harry sighed. "I'll get you settled in your room and then go deal with Riddle…"

"I'm… (Yawn)…not a bit sleepy." Dani pouted.

"No of course you aren't." Harry chuckled as he glanced over at the others. "How long has she been up?"

"An hour or so," Wills hated seeing her this weak.

"You can lounge on the couch then, but that's it." Harry got her settled on the couch.

"We've got this covered little brother. Go check on Gin." Rory curled up to read on the couch.

"The sooner he's gone the better I'll feel." Dromi shivered.

"Daniel, Em you should go look in the new barn. Oh and congrats on the baby." Harry vanished.

"Will's, Henry, go show off the new foals. We've got things covered here." Rory knew that they'd been longing to check on them again, and let them off the hook.

"Kind of late in the season isn't it?" Daniel arched a brow at them.

"For ordinary horse's maybe, but unicorns not so much." Dani yawned sleepily.

"Unicorns?" Daniel and Em's eyes lit up in delight.

"Moon, Raine, and Crystal had their babies this week. They were worried about Moon, because she was having twins, so they moved all three pairs into the new barn…" Dani drifted off to sleep and her Aunt and Uncles left to go to the barn.

--

(Dragon Manor)

Harry decided the easiest way to lure him out was by showing him Voldemort's demise using a pensive and had set up a small one in Draco and Ginny's Common Room.

"Good thinking that should have a sharper effect on Riddle than you taunting him about it." Draco approved of the plan.

"That's the plan or part of it anyway." Harry took out the strand of memory and added it to the silvery pool.

"I tried to watch HBP and got an instant migraine during the final battle." Gin joined them in the Common Room.

"Gin this isn't going to be easy on you…"

"I overheard Draco snarling at you on the phone. No one tries to hurt my babies and lives to tell about it. I want him gone." Gin growled.

"He's more like a pest, but you standing here is making my scar tingled, so it's time for him to finally die." Harry growled agreeing.

"That's what you think boy!" Gin's eyes darkened to dark emerald green and her voice changed to that unmistakable voice of Tom Riddle.

"HE'S TAKEN CONTROL OF GIN!!" Draco exclaimed in terror for his wife and unborn twins.

"Get it together Draco or leave!" Harry snapped.

"Not for long kid and who the hell do you think you're calling a boy! I'm twenty-five and you're nothing but a seventeen-year-old washout!" Harry focused on Gin.

"I am the greatest wizard that has ever walked this earth! Age means nothing to me!" Riddle snarled back.

"Wrong loser! You were a pathetic bully and Merlin is the greatest wizard to ever walk the earth! My first-grandfather and I am his heir!" Harry took great pleasure shooting him down.

"Impossible boy! You're a pathetic nothing and Merlin is nothing, but folklore, a legend. Dead and buried!"

"Am I really?" Merlin appeared in the room.

"He looks alive and well to me." James growled making himself known.

"Gin let's you in on nothing, but I'm here to set you straight." Harry cast _Imperio_ on Gin with his mind. "Dad I need a little help. Draco stand by First-Gramps and no matter what you hear remember Riddles in control and I am not hurting Gin."

James took her other arm and they dragged her to the pensive. "Good idea."

"Draco help me their hurting me!" Gin cried out as if in agonizing pain.

"She's not being harmed son. Ignore her." James growled.

"Gin you've got to fight him! You're stronger, so kick that thing out of your head!" Draco ordered.

"Like father, so like pathetic son. You always were fond of taking in strays weren't you Potter." Riddle sneered.

"That's Pendragon and you are about to see that you no longer exist in this world!" James reined in his own fury.

"Fiction is for muggle fairy tales! I will rise again!" Riddle laughed as if highly amused.

"My memory you snake is in that very real pensive." Harry stopped her in front of the pensive.

"Look you murdering bastard! See your demise and then give me back my little sister!" Harry increased the influence on her by using his mind to force Gin's body to put her face down into the pensive.

"Impossible!! No one commands me…" Riddles voice died out.

"Keep going Harry its working!" Gin fought for a minute of control.

"Look you wacko!! We fought our epic battle six years ago and I won! I lived you aren't even dust! You are nothing but a powerless, pathetic shadow, and nothing more!" Harry kept an eye on Gin, her whole body was trembling now. "Let her go!!"

"I AM FOREVER!! YOU LIE!" Riddle was barely managing to keep Gin in check.

"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PATHETIC EMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO SNUFF OUT!"

:Get out of our momma!: A tiny set of voices growled.

"You heard my nieces get out of Ginny!!" Harry was now glaring down into dark green almost black eyes.

"No!! I am Lord Voldemort…" Gin's eyes were beginning to lighten and clear.

:Not wanted!: The stronger of the two growled.

"Get the hell out of my mind, you slimy bastard and die!" Gin's eyes were nearly back to their normal mossy green color. "I don't need nor do I want you in my head! You are nothing and I expel you from my mind!"

"NO...!" Then there was silence.

:Bad things gone…we sleep now.: The girls went back to sleep.

"Ginny?" Harry stared down into her cool moss green eyes.

"Let's not do…" Gin went limp in his arms.

"Ginny!" Draco rushed over to her side.

"Exorcising a demon is hard work. She'll be fine after a long nap." James reassured his son.

"He used much her energy to remain in control and now Ginny will sleep for the rest of the day." Merlin sensed that nothing was amiss with her or the twins that she was carrying. "Well done my boy, you were fantastic."

Harry had been feeding Gin most of his own energy and was just about as wiped out as she was. "I never wanna do that again…" He sounded drained as he replaced the memory back in his head.

"Son?" James caught him before he passed out on the floor.

"He'll sleep for a while." Merlin wasn't the least bit surprised. "He not only reined in Riddle, but fed Ginny energy to vanquish him, and then kept her and the girls safe."

"Gramps how long is a while?" James frowned.

"Twenty-four to seventy-two hours is my best guess depending on how much of a recharge his body needs. This is another event for the journals, so I haven't got a definite answer for you." Merlin helped James get Harry's limp form to his feet.

"Get Ginny tucked in son. Your brother is going to be just fine." James reassured Draco, who was staring at Harry with great concern.

"I'll call you later." Draco took Ginny up to their room.

--

"He wasn't focused enough to even try something of this magnitude." Merlin scowled at James.

"He and Hermione aren't on speaking terms right now. I'm not happy with Lily, but then she didn't throw as many verbal punches as Hermione did at Junior." James growled at Merlin when the three of them appeared in Harry and Hermione's master suite.

"If you went and got him sloshed, I shall be very put out with you." Hermione sat up in bed and glared at them.

"Nice going Gramps wrong room." James glared at him.

"Wrong room? This is their bedchamber is it not?" Merlin's brow furrowed and he narrowed his eyes at James.

"What's going on Dad? Why is Harry ghostly pale?" Hermione recognized the signs of Harry being in a deep nearly comatose sleep and sprang out of bed. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"

"The situation with Gin was far more immediate than we previously thought…"

"YOU WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU?! HE WASN'T PREPARED FOR THAT YET!" Hermione glared murderously at James.

"Harry isn't fond of his scar so much as tingling, so when it twinged ever so slightly last night at Draco's he and I mutually decided the sooner Riddle was vanquished the better. Draco's recollection of DJ's chats while still in the womb sealed the deal." James set about stripping his son down to his shorts, before putting him to bed. "We came back home, settled the twins down, got Dani tucked in on the couch, and then went to work. I checked on Lil's before I joined him at Draco's."

"Wills, Henry, Rory, and Dromi are here…Why didn't he come wake me before…"

"Because he isn't very happy with you right now, seeing you would have mucked him up all over again, and he needed as clear of a head as possible to help Gin." James snarled coldly at her. "I should take him back to the Isle and let him recharge there in peace."

"RECHARGE?!" Hermione panicked.

"Harry will be fine, calm yourself." Merlin had heard enough verbal sparing for on day.

"FINE! FINE! THAT DOES NOT LOOK REMOTELY FINE TO ME! IT FRIGHTENINGLY MIRRORS THE AFTERMATH OF VANQUISHING VOLDEMORT!" She glared murderously at both of them and focused on jinxing the two to the moon and back for what they had done to her Harry.

Merlin, was prepared for such an occurrence and had casted a_ Shield Charm_ on both him and James. He kept his tone calm and neutral as he explained the facts to Hermione. "He'll sleep like the dead, but only for a few days then awaken refreshed and revitalized. He didn't have to use the degree of energy nor did he have to endure limitless curses this time while vanquishing Tom Riddle. He was Harry's to control and he used his energy to help Gin gather enough strength to vanquish him forever, as well as shield her and her unborn babies from any fallout or harm that Riddle might try on them."

"Why? When he was supposed to be a nothing?" She set about checking Harry overusing crystals to check his vitals.

"He was saving it all up for his last hurrah. Gin wasn't even with us for a while. We used a pensive to shove our point across and Harry maneuvered him like a puppet on a string. Plus Gin and her girls joined together and vanquished his sorry ass." James was well aware what various colors emanating from the crystals meant and all signs pointed to a deep hibernation like sleep, but his vitals were strong and that eased his fears a lot.

"Is Ginny okay?" Hermione put her tools of healing away.

"She and the babies are fine." Merlin reassured her.

"Draco must be a mess."

"He kept his cool and is watching over them while they sleep for the next twelve hours or so." James felt drained himself.

"James?" Lily stood in the doorway. "Did something go wrong?" She eyed her son's sleeping form on the bed.

"Lil's you should be in bed." James walked over and swept her up in his arms. "I'll explain it all to you while I tuck you back into bed." He vanished.

"Hermione a weapon overused is eventually a useless weapon. My advice to you is to embrace your differences for that's what makes you who you are." Merlin left her to ponder those words.

"Oh Harry. I made a mess of things, but I'll make it up to you." Hermione crawled in next to him and brushed the bangs out of his eyes. "I promise." She kissed him.

--

Chapter 13

Lessons learned

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	13. Lessons Learned

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 13

Lessons learned

--

"Daddy, please wake up." Dani had snuck into her parent's room and climbed up onto their bed, so she could cuddle next to her Daddy. It had been three days and he hadn't so much as flinched.

"Ally and Mia came home from Grandma and Grandpa Weasley's today and are really scared that you're never gonna wake up again. The boys miss you terribly and Momma really is sorry…" She laid her head against his chest and listened to the strong steady beat of his heart. "Aunt Gin's wonderful now that the snake is truly gone. You did good Daddy now please wake up."

Harry wrapped his arms around her and cuddled her closer. "Dani? What's the matter baby bad dream?" He yawned as he began to rouse from his three day slumber.

"Daddy!" Dani hugged him. "You're awake."

"And you seem to be back to your old self-again." Harry kissed her on the nose.

"Daddy it's been three whole days. I've had time to heal." Dani snuggled closer.

_Three days? He was out for three days?! Everyone must be going mental and Hermione must be off the scales!_ Harry's eyes widened as the words set in. "Dani sweetie where's your mum?"

"She's been acting so weird." Dani frowned.

"Weird? What do you mean by weird?"

"Well, she's been in the kitchen cooking the, um, muggle way or trying to learn how…" Dani sat up and looked down at her Daddy. "She makes a smashing Mac'n cheese, um the grilled cheese sandwiches, and tomato soup aren't that bad either."

"Anything else?"

"She insists on tending to us herself, even though everyone is around to help her. It's like she wants to prove something to her. So everyone humors her while secretly pitching in when she's not looking or up here napping with you." Dani crawled off the bed. "Um Daddy no offense, but you need a shower." She wrinkled her nose at him.

"Where's your mum?"

"Down in the kitchen attempting lasagna for lunch. Everyone adult and teenage alike, is in the media room watching the Doctor Who marathon on the Telly. Oh and Izzy, Daphne, Ally, and Mia are in the playroom drawing and stuff. Get well pictures for you or something like that. I chose to come up here and cuddle with you for a while." Dani waited by the doorway until her Daddy got out of bed.

"Sweetie, I'm fine. Now you run along and go keep your Mum company. I'll be down after I shower and shave." Harry winked at her and off she went. "God's I'm starving with any luck her lasagna might just be edible." Harry stretched out all the kinks in his body before heading for the shower.

--

"Let's see the noodles are al dente just like it states in the recipe. The sauce is simmering on the stove. The oven is preheated and my filling is coming along nicely in the bowl in front of me." Hermione poured mozzarella into her ricotta, cottage cheese, and fresh herb mixture then gave it a good stir.

"Momma, can I help?" Dani skipped happily into the kitchen.

"Sure baby, you can help me build my lasagna." Hermione called the kiddy steps over beside her.

"Daddy loves you just the way you are and you love him heroic quirks and all." Dani climbed up the steps.

"Of course I love your father, but I'm doing this..." She motioned to the chaos of kitchen clutter on the kitchen island. "…For me...just like he tries to master healing for himself."

"No one in this world is perfect Mum. Faults and differences make you who you are." Dani frowned at her.

"Sweetie I'm learning to cook, so your father and I can enjoy making a meal together and your daddy tries to sharpen his healing skills…"

"Because I never know what fate is gonna throw at me next." Harry chimed in from the doorway. "Something smells heavenly in here."

"Harry!" Hermione raced into his open arms. "You finally woke up…" She sobbed against his chest.

"Sorry about that angel mine. Next time I'll rethink my battle strategy." Harry cradled her face between his hands and kissed away her tears.

"I'm sorry…I was stupid and bitchy…" Hermione sniffled miserably.

"Hey, it's okay Mione. I overexerted myself, because I was still in a temper. From now on our past stays buried okay." Harry cuddled her closer to him.

"Yes, there's no sense crying or growling over potion long ago split." Hermione smiled up at him. "I'll bet that you're absolutely starving."

"Famished," Harry led her back over to the kitchen isle. "I'll eat an apple while you carry on doing that."

"Or you can pitch in and help Dani and I build our lasagna." Hermione was feeling one hundred percent better now that he was awake.

"Tell you what…I'll make the bread while you finish that." Harry tasted the sauce and was in taste bud heaven. "That's divine."

"Thank you, Wolfe and yes that would be lovely and a salad would be nice too." Hermione set about happily creating her dish.

--

"Where exactly do you go when you sleep like that for days at a time?" Donavan asked curiously.

"Yeah, is it like out of the body or what?" Bastion echoed between bites of his lunch.

"I sit in limbo and play chess with the ancestors while they lecture my head off." Harry was on his second helping of lasagna. "Angel this is delicious." Harry winked at Hermione.

"Why thank you, Wolfe." She kissed his cheek.

"Yes kitten; you have outdone yourself this is five stars all the way." James praised her.

"Your attempts at muggle cooking have been flawless so far." Bree was also enjoying lunch.

"Cooking is a science, as long as one follows the proper formula it's difficult for a dish to fail." Tim surmised.

"One has to have the patience to follow the formula as well." Delilah smiled.

"Our Hermione is a Potions Master, so following a muggle recipe isn't that difficult of a task." Lily winked at her.

"Mummy loves a good challenge." Dani smiled. "So do I and we made lunch together."

"We'll help next time Mummy." Ally and Mia chimed.

"I'd like to help too." Daphne smiled shyly.

"Us too," MJ and Izzy chimed.

"Well then from now on fixing afternoon or evening meals will be a family affair." Harry got up to go check on his sons.

"Harry?" Hermione arched a brow at him.

"Lovely dinner, my heart. Not to be rude or anything, but I have to go hold our son's for a while, as it is they probably won't forgive me for not being around for three days." He kissed his wife on the forehead, winked at his girls, and vanished.

--

"He's very resilient isn't he?" Tim arched a brow at James.

"He was up and about the day after he woke up from his sleep after vanquishing Voldemort. It takes an extreme situation to take him out of commission for any length of time, but then he comes back stronger than before…" Hermione broke down into sobs and buried her face in her hands.

"Oh sweetie, he's not mad at you anymore." Lily got up and went to comfort her.

"I know that Mum, but these past three days reminded me of that dreadful time…" Hermione sobbed.

"I know kitten, but that's never going to happen again. He was running on fumes and emotion and overexerted himself." James knelt on the other side of her.

"Actually, I underestimated Riddle. I had to compensate that miscalculation by using most of my energy to protect Gin and her girls, as well as feed her enough energy to vanquish him out of existence and out of her mind." Harry appeared in the dining room with the boys in his arms.

"Aunt Gin's been on an energy high since she woke up." Dani smirked.

"Yeah, and its driving big brother crackers," MJ grinned.

"What's driving me crackers?" Draco walked into the kitchen with DJ in his arms.

"Momma's acting silly." DJ giggled.

"I'm free and enjoying every minute of it." Ginny breezed into the kitchen.

"Harry, thank Merlin your finally awake." Draco was finding it difficult to keep up with Gin's limitless energy spurts. "You had us all worried big brother."

"Yeah, sorry about that it wasn't intentional. Gin seems to be thriving though." Harry watched as she raided the fridge for a snack.

"She's a ray of sunshine all right." Draco sighed.

"Yum is that lasagna?" Gin eyed the dish and sat down to help herself to a plate of it.

"Hermione made it." Harry stated proudly. "The muggle way."

"Dragon you have to try this." Gin fed him a bite.

"That's really O level sis." Draco smiled.

"Well when one is a squib in the kitchen then one must set about cooking the muggle way with store-bought ingredients, a recipe, and patience as the meal slowly comes together." Hermione smiled serenely.

"So what smells so good in here?" Wills and Rory walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, we just had brunch with Grams, so we're starving." Henry and Dromi came in right behind them.

"Good thing that I made two enormous pans of food." Hermione got up to get the other pan of lasagna.

"From Mac'n Cheese, Tomato soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches to lasagna our baby sis is amazing." Wills kissed her on the top of her head.

"She had to focus all that energy somewhere while baby brother was recharging." Rory was relieved to see him finally awake.

"We were contemplating on whether to have you admitted to St. Mungo's or not." Dromi frowned at him.

"Not even if I were…" Harry started to snarl, but Hermione cut him off.

"So the second day that you refused to so much as twitch, we had them come here and check you over instead that being Aunt Gene, Mum, Grams, and me as well as First Grams and Aunt Celestra." Hermione set the tray of lasagna on the warming tray, before taking Jamie out of Harry's arms. "All of us came to the same prognosis that you would awaken when you were ready and not a moment before."

"But even 'The Chosen One' needs proper nourishment to survive, so we agreed on having you admitted if you still hadn't woken up by this evening." Dromi countered.

"Then it's a good thing I woke up, because I would have been in the mood to hurt someone if I'd awakened there. A pincushion I am not." Harry grumbled as he prepared two bottles for his sons.

"Don't worry, lion I would have protected you from unnecessary testing." Hermione kissed him on the cheek.

:Up and down Dada!: Jamie growled.

:No wants bottle, wants up and down!: Rafe echoed his brother's request.

"Don't listen to them Daddy. They've been getting their morning and evening rides in the lift." Dani rolled here eyes at her brothers.

:Dada no take. No be same!: The boys growled.

"Twice a day boys or not at all," Hermione frowned down at her son. "The lift is not a toy nor is it an amusement ride."

:Up and Down!: They started to fuss.

:Boys our deal was twice a day! So not until this evening or not at all for a very longtime!: Harry growled sharply. "Our boys love the lift, but they have to learn that they can't always get their own way." He cuddled Rafe against his shoulder.

:We missed Dada. You no hold us. We got sacred.: Rafe wailed against his shoulder.

"I know that I scared you and I'm sorry. Daddy will try not to do it again." He crooned softly.

"Daddy's a champion and sometimes has to go fight the baddies, but he always comes home. He was just tired and needed to sleep for a while after he got the baddie and saved Aunt Ginny and our baby cousins from harm." Dani explained to her brothers.

:Uncle Draco no save Aunt Gin?: Rafe formed his tiny bow shaped mouth into a frown and glared at his uncle.

:Yeah, why he no save Aunt Gin?: Jamie was also glaring at Draco.

"Daddy protects all of us and never cherry-picks his battles. Uncle Draco and even Grandpa couldn't handle fighting this baddie. He's a class five level baddie who Daddy's fought many times in many different forms." Dani explained before anyone could say a word. "He gave Daddy the scar on his forehead when he was a baby, so Daddy has issues with him more so than Uncle Draco does."

"Oh, I had issues with it all right." Harry muttered softly.

"Boy's, Uncle Draco is too emotionally and eternally attached to even try to, um, battle someone of this level of dark magic inside Gin's mind. The baddie was a sneaky evil opponent, and would have used Gin against him." Hermione tried to explain it to them more clearly.

:Ok we understand now.: Rafe hiccupped.

:We's hungry. No bottle wants mama's milk machine.: Jamie refused his bottle.

"Excuse us for a bit." Harry and a crimson faced Hermione vanished with the boys.

Everyone was chuckling at Jamie's comment except for the kids.

"Why are you laughing?" Ally frowned.

"Yes what's so funny?" Mia asked.

"Oh honestly, you adults can be so juvenile sometimes." Dani rolled her eyes at them in disgust.

"Yeah, I mean Aunt Mione provides them with milk." DJ frowned.

"And our body is like a well tuned machine is it not." Izzy added.

"So the name fits." MJ scowled at his parents.

"Momma has a type of milk machine. Just like Aunt Gin, Grams, Aunt Em, Aunt Rory, Aunt Dromi, Aunt Jenna, Aunt Luna, Aunt Thea, and Aunt Gene will have when their babies are born." Dani told the adults. "Come along everyone let's go outside and play hide-and-seek or something…I need some air."

The younger generation vanished from their chairs.

--

"Well she sure put us in our places." James chucked.

Wills and Henry were frowning at their wives.

"What?" Rory growled.

"Yes why are you two glaring at us for?" Dromi narrowed her eyes at them.

"Dani never fibs girls." Lily arched a knowing brow at her daughters.

"So I'm not the only one who had the same idea." Gin smirked.

"No Peaches I guess my big sisters had big plans of their own as well." Draco kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, but it's a hell of a lot more dodgy for those four." Donavan got up from the table and began clearing away the dirty dishes.

"The Sun and The Daily Mirror did manage to snag a copy of their marriage licenses, so it's not like the world doesn't think they're not hitched already." Bastion was clearing the empty plates and goblets on his side of the table.

"That's not the point at all. Rory, Dromi, Wills, and Henry aren't officially hitched royally yet. Besides, no one believes a word that those rags print, and the reporters are in jail for violating the restraining order." Bree rolled her eyes at them.

"Look, so we may or may not have taken the potion just after you two were officially free of the Royal forces. Gran will love it that her Great-Grandbabies will share her birthday with her…" Rory found herself kissed senseless by Wills.

"Dromi?" Henry pulled her into his arms and stared down into her loving emerald green eyes.

"We both took a test this morning, after you two went to check on the boys." Dromi nodded and she also was kissed mindless.

"I think we'll wait until after your honeymoon to spread the joyous news. It'll be more than enough time for the four of you to enjoy your secret little miracles." James smiled at them.

"Immediate family won't harm matters any. Otherwise they'll be hurt that this was kept from them." Lily smiled up at James.

"We'll tell them all when they come here for dinner tonight to see Harry." James kissed her on the nose.

--

Chapter 14

The Travelers

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	14. The Travelers

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 14

The Travelers

--

I'm having a blast with this chapter and hopefully you'll like it too. The sci-fi channel has the series at least the first airing of the new Doctor on Friday's check your local listing. Then there is the DVD of the first season of the new Doctor Who ninth incarnation is most likely available to rent ,at the store, or online…Public television originally had it many moons ago in that one Tom Baker was my favorite…go to and type in Doctor Who in the search engine…got bittorent type in doctor who torrent and you can get the episodes…David rocks as the Doctor…He looks like an older Daniel Radcliffe…

Notes: to quote wikpedia- "_**Doctor Who**_ is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-traveling adventurer known only as "The Doctor", who explores time and space with his companions, fighting evil.__There are ten incarnations they do something called regeneration " Quoting Wikpedia "The changing of actors playing the part of the Doctor is explained within the series by the Time Lords' ability to regenerate after suffering mortal injury, illness, or old age. The process repairs and rejuvenates all damage, but as a side effect it changes the Time Lord's physical appearance and personality semi-randomly." The current one is being played and my favorite so far is David Tennant….

Want to find out more go to wikpedia and type in Doctor Who. Oh and as always I never do anything canon and this is no exception...I love my version so much more than how they ended season two of the new series. To me it was a copout...not unlike HBP.

--

(After another hard fought World Cup Victory)

"Mione can we discuss this first? You look really upset, so maybe it won't hurt to wait until First-Grams or someone else is free to tend to my war wounds." Harry lay on a bed in one of the private hospital rooms at the Isle of Avalon Hospital. "Just try to calm your frazzled emotions a few broken ribs, black eye, split lip, broken left wrist, and left ankle aren't near enough to keep me out of it for long."

"He tried to kill you this time! Those bludgers, even the back up ones, were all tampered with! His broom even had razor sharp spikes that could protrude out of its handle when the referee wasn't looking!" Hermione tended to the war wounds on his legs and arms a little too roughly.

"Hey, injured man here, so watch it! My skin is supposed to remain on my arm!!" Harry yelped in pain. "As for Krum trying to murder me, well, I was the target so you don't have to convince me of his guilt! I even managed to mark him this time, so for all his troubles he'll be enjoying a nice desolate cell in Azkaban!"

"Well he deserves it! I hope Grandfather and Dad flay him alive for what he did to you!!" Hermione poured disinfectant on his wounds without pouring the painkiller on them first.

"Flay him Hermione not me!! Focus on healing and soothing my wounds not increasing them or the pain they inflict!!" Harry shot up from the pillows then gasping in pain he collapsed back against. "Son of a Bitch that hurt!"

"Damn it Wolfe lie still!!" She snarled at him.

:Mum, Aunt Gene, Grams, Grandma Violet, Ginny, Dromi, First Grams, Aunt Celestra!! Get her away from me!!: Harry sent out a cry for help.

"They've got their hands full tending to the walking wounded that stray bludger injured when it went crashing into the stadium stands." Hermione continued to treat him for his injuries.

"Mummy you be nice to Daddy! He's hurt enough as it is and it's his birthday!" Dani stalked into the hospital room to rescue her father.

"Danielle go back to your sisters!" Hermione scowled at her daughter.

"No because if I do you'll hurt Daddy even worse than Krummy did!" Dani's face mirrored her mothers.

"I am doing nothing of the sort now do as I say!" Hermione pointed to the door.

"She's upset Dani and isn't intentionally trying to hurt me." Harry was in no mood to mediate another war of wills between them and tried to get Dani to back down.

"She's upset?! She didn't get scratched the entire match! Uncle Draco has a broken arm! Uncle Logan has a broken leg! Uncle Casey and Uncle Chase have broken wrists and Uncle Ron has cracked ribs! I'm not even counting the cuts, bruises, and abrasions!"

"I have a bruise on my thigh and abrasions as well…" Hermione growled.

"Big deal! Daddy took a bludger in the chest, after catching the snitch so you wouldn't be hurt! Before that he took a bludger to the left ankle to protect everyone in the stands!" Dani rolled her eyes at her mother in disgust.

"Enough, child, I will tend to my grandson." Mab appeared beside her. "You have more than made your point."

"As will I," Celestra placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Thank magic for that. Momma's torturing Daddy with her heavy-handed healing!" Dani scowled.

"Let's go munchkin." Cam went to scoop her up in his arms, but she wasn't in the mood to be held.

"No Uncle Cam! I'm gonna protect my Daddy from Momma!"

"That's it young lady!" Hermione's face flushed crimson with embarrassment and fury. "You are on restriction! No fun for you for a week!"

"Hermione come on now she didn't do anything to warrant a punishment like that!" Harry felt a migraine coming on. The two of them were just too alike and seemed to be clashing more and more lately.

"Fine Mother next time I'll just let my cousins and baby brothers get slammed by a rouge bludger or better yet I'll send it flying back at you!!" Dani's temper snapped and all the lights in the room flared blindingly bright.

The blue sky turned ominous, foreboding lightning split the sky, and the wind was howling like an angry siren's wail.

"By the gods Mother you were so into playing the match that you were oblivious to the chaos going on around you! What happened?! Did the snake go from Aunt Ginny to you?! I mean really it's not like anyone actually knows what happened after Aunt Ginny vanquished it from her mind!"

"Danielle Stephanie Anastasia that is enough!" Harry lost his temper. "You will apologize to your mother this instant! That was cruel, untrue, and I vaporized anything that was left of the snake, so cool it!! I want you to go check on your brothers and not a word of protest out of you or you will be on restriction for an entire month!"

"THEN SHE'S GOT THAT POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION DISORDER HAPPENING! NOT THAT I CARE! GO AHEAD HURT DADDY ALL THAT YOU WISH AND GIVE YOURSELF THE SAME TREATMENT TOO!! I HATE BOTH OF YOU ANYWAY!!" Dani screeched at them in fury and vanished from the room.

:I'm not happy with you either! Your mother is upset and I'm still tapped out mega-magic wise, so that doesn't help matters any!! You will find your grandfather, sit your tush down next to him, and stay put!!: Harry snarled mentally to his daughter.

Dani was too peeved at him to respond and decided to shut both of her parent's out of her head instead.

"I will go watch over her." Cam vanished.

--

Hermione was sitting on the bed in tears. "She's right. I was so happy to be playing again that all of my focus was on the match!" She buried her face in her hands. "Did she really detour a rouge bludger from crashing into the royal box?" She looked up at Harry, Mab, and Celestra through her tear soaked lashes.

"Yes sweetie, she and Daisy were very valiant acting quickly to protect the little ones from harm." Celestra nodded.

"She and Daisy disposed of it before it could cause harm where her cousins and brothers were sleeping." Mab answered softly as she tended to Harry's injuries.

"Daisy froze it in midair and Dani transfigured it into confetti before Dad or anyone could take it out. I'd caught the snitch and was after the bludgers that were still going wild, but I did manage to see her and Daisy's performance." Harry drank his fourteenth potion, as Mab weaved a protective cast on his wrist, and Celestra performed the same task on his ankle.

"I'M A TERRIBLE MOTHER!" Hermione wailed in misery.

"No your not angel. The noise was deafening at the stadium and the Vultures were out for blood. Your focus was where it should have been that being the match. I'm the Seeker. I can detour my focus on things other than the Quaffle or the other Chasers." Harry tried to soothe her with his voice, because he couldn't hold her until after his ribs were treated.

"I saw the twins battling with the bludgers, but I just assumed it was a fluke. Logan and Ron were getting slammed by the other Chasers, so it was up to me to score the goals or take the penalty shots. Godric knows there were endless fouls called on the Vultures." Hermione sniffled miserably. "Then when you jetted over to me and took that bludger to the chest to protect me…I realized that something was off. You were hurt; Ron, Logan, Draco, and the twins were all hurt too."

"It's all right sweetie, no one was seriously injured and the ones responsible will be banned from Quidditch for life and brought up on charges." James stood in the doorway with the boys in his arms.

"Dad where are the girls?" Harry frowned.

"The girls are in the playroom with First-Gramps and Uncle Cam. You have one very upset little girl that isn't happy with either of you right now." James temper was back on slow boil, as he took in all of his son's injuries. "Dad is dealing with the ringleader of this attack on members of the royal family and innocent bystanders. Krum is being charged with attempted first-degree murder, so you'll never see his sorry arse again. The Vrasta Vultures owner, team manager, and nearly every one of its players are up to their necks as well. Bulgaria is going to have to recruit a fresh team that's if they aren't banned from the game altogether."

"That's good to know that they're finally getting what's coming to them." Harry winced, as his first-grams and Aunt tended to his ribs by weaving a protective bandage around his rib cage. "Now as for Dani, well, she came running to my rescue after my mental cry for help and then mouthed off to her mother going as far as to suggest that Riddle had taken up residence in Mione's mind."

"I'll go talk to her." Hermione left to go mend fences with Dani.

--

Dani sulked in the corner of the play area. "Just once I wish momma would see things through my eyes if only for a day!" She grumbled.

Daisy sat down beside her. "That's a big wish Dani. Why not just give her a really nasty rash instead?"

"Momma's a Healer, Daisy. So wouldn't accomplish any headway with her at all." Dani rolled her eyes at her.

"Do you really wanna take on that? I mean the milk machine and everything."

"That's what bottles and formula are for." Dani sighed in frustration. "If it got her to understand then it would be well worth any inconveniences. What am I going on about anyway! It's never gonna happen and nothing but a silly fantasy!" She got up and stalked over to sit beside her cousins and Daphne who were watching the Disney Enchanted movie on the Telly.

Hermione walked into the play area and walked over to Dani, who proceeded to glare up at her and say nothing.

Daisy seeing something that needed mending decided that bending the rules wouldn't hurt anything at least not much anyway. She was fairly powerful in her own right, so she weaved a harmless spell_. _

_Mother and daughter so much alike yet so very far apart…switch places at dawns light, to find an understanding a peace by sun's next rising. My harmless granting of Dani's wish shall harm none, but enlighten the two players in mind, and fix their tattered relationship. When they awaken switched they will be…as I will so mote it be._

Daisy weaved her bit of magic over the unsuspecting pair ignoring her grandpa's all seeing and all knowing stare.

"Daisy what are you up to?" Cam walked over to his granddaughter.

"Nothing Granddad. I've had my fill of casting magic for one day." Daisy blinked innocently up at him.

"You and Dani make a formidable team." Cam gave her a hug.

"The babies were sleeping and most of the adults were off dealing with the chaos, so we handled it ourselves." Daisy scowled. "I thought they checked over everything before the matches. How did they miss Krummy's broom and the tampered bludgers?"

"The head of the international Quidditch league personally inspected everything and no one thought that anyone would ever stoop that low just to win a match." Hermione walked over with Dani in her arms. "Thank you, sweetie for keeping the little ones safe." She smiled at Daisy.

Daisy smiled up at Hermione. "I'm the oldest not counting the teens, so it's my duty to keep them all safe.

"And the last thing we needed was a storm, because Rafe and Jamie were scared or angry about their sleep being interrupted. Gramps, First-gramps, Great-Gramps, and Uncle Albus cast a shield charm over the box, but there was no sense anyone getting hurt after it bounced off it." Dani was tolerating being held by her mother.

"How is Harry fairing?" Merlin had Ally and Mia in his arms.

"Momma is Daddy gonna sleep for days again?" Mia whimpered.

"He really looked bad." Ally was on the verge of tears.

"He was trying to fend off Momma, because she was too emotionally involved to treat him properly, but then First-Grams and Auntie Celestra arrived and are making him all better now." Dani told her sisters.

"So that's what his plea for help was about." Merlin quirked a brow at Hermione. "And the tempest outside as well."

"That tempest is all Dani." Hermione kept her temper in check. "Now as for your father, I was the only one free to tend to him…"

"More like torture him…" Dani muttered under her breath.

"You were upset and rightly so, it's only natural that your focus be hampered by your frazzled emotions." Merlin nodded in complete and total understanding.

"She was hurting Daddy, even more and could have cared less." Dani scowled.

"I did not intentionally hurt your father." Hermione's temper was once again on the rise.

"Oh no, well, it looked like it to me and then you were swimming the river of denial!" Dani was on a tear again as well. "Then again you are suffering from postpartum depression, so you can always blame it on that!"

"Danielle that is enough!" Merlin growled a warning.

"Yes Dani no more," Cam gave her a sharp look.

"She was so bent on winning that all the screaming going on about her was an afterthought. The bludger crashing into the stands and then rebounding to hit Uncle Ron was just one of those things too!" Dani voiced her say regardless of the warning from Merlin or Cam. "The bludger that Daisy and I took out was just a fluke and then to top it off you insisted on being the one to treat Daddy and tried to inflict even more damage to him!"

**(Dani enough you're gonna get in trouble.)** Mia hissed.

**(Yes Dani cool it before First Grandpa tans your tush!)** Ally growled.

**(I'm only stating the truth!)** Dani grumbled back.

"You are too little to understand why I'm so furious and have no inkling about how intense a match of that level can be. Your focus can never deviate from the task at hand or you can end up broken or seriously injured. Your Daddy is a Seeker his task is a little easier than a Chaser's is. I hate it when your father gets hurt and I despise it even more when the injuries are inflicted by someone who had more than winning the match on his mind." Hermione kept her tone neutral with her.

:WHATEVER MOTHER! YOU'RE RIGHT! YOU WIN! I MEAN I'M JUST A KID WHAT DO I KNOW!: Dani vanished from her arms.

"Momma she did protect the babies from getting hurt." Mia tried to mediate for her sister.

"She'll cool down Momma, but I think she went home." Ally bit down on her lip.

"Home?! She's not one hundred percent healed yet it could cause her to relapse!" Hermione panicked.

"She did what?!" Harry gimped with the help of crutches into the play area.

"She got upset with me again and vanished from my arms."

"Daddy you should be in bed." Mia and Ally frowned at him.

"I'll be fine angels." Harry focused on finding Dani with their link only to find that she was blocking him out, but he did sense something off near Sanctuary. "Something's not right back home…" Harry vanished.

"Dani's alone!" Hermione vanished.

"Dad?" Cam arched a brow at Merlin.

"It's nothing dangerous, just a couple of weary travelers in desperate need of a holiday." Merlin reassured them all.

--

(Sanctuary)

Dani appeared in the Unicorn barn and found a pair staring in fascination at the unicorns in their stalls. "Excuse me, but who are you and what are you doing in my barn?" She ignored the fact that her head felt like it was splitting in two or that she was getting weak again and confronted the two intruders.

"Hello there little one. No need to be frightened. I'm The Doctor and this is Rose." The strange man dressed in a tweed suit, tie, and dress coat smiled warmly at her. The most shocking to Dani was that his facial features were nearly identical to her Grandfather's.

"Is your mummy or daddy about?" The pretty blonde dressed causally in jeans and a t-shirt with the logo of Torchwood on it smiled at her.

"How did you get here? This estate is Unplottable on any map or muggle traveling device. How did you get passed Fluffy or all the security measures?" Dani fired off questions at Firebolt speed.

"Yes, well, how we got here is complicated…" The Doctors smile widened even more. "Unplottable you say? Muggle? What an absolutely fascinating turn of events."

"Hold on a minute did you just say muggle?" Rose frowned staring at the girl in disbelief.

"Yes, I did that's what one calls someone from the mortal realm." Dani continued to stare intently up into the Doctor's gentle hazel brown eyes.

"Fantastic! This is just getting better and better." The Doctor was pleased as punch with the turn of events.

"But that's only in books…its fiction…" Rose sputtered, even after all that she had seen and experienced, she still couldn't fathom this in her mind.

"The Wizarding World is a separate dimension from the Muggle World, but we can go to and fro both worlds freely." Dani rolled her eyes at Rose.

"Dani!!" Harry's shouts echoed around the backyard.

"Dani! Mummy's sorry please answer us!" Hermione pleaded with her.

"Oh great, now I'm really gonna get it for leaving the Isle without permission and talking to two strangers to boot." Dani muttered to herself. "That's my Mum and Dad. He's a little banged up because of Krummy trying to take him out at the Quidditch World Cup this afternoon and Mummy is going through that postpartum thing."

"Quidditch?" Rose's eyes got as big as saucers

"Yeah, my Daddy is the Captain and Seeker of Puddlemere United and my Mummy is a Chaser on the team. The two of them are both really famous and everything." Dani nodded.

"Harry! She's not answering us." Hermione's frantic voice could be heard just outside the barn doors.

"Easy Mione, she's fine probably just napping with the unicorns." Harry was surprised to see Fluffy guarding the barn. "Fluff? Is she inside?"

Fluffy let out a low growl.

"Easy boys… Is someone with Dani?" Harry's senses were now on red alert.

Fluffy scratched at the door with his paws and growled.

"Stay here Hermione."

"You stay here! I'm not the one nearly bandaged from head to toe!"

"No way…not possible…" Rose eyed the little girl in disbelief.

"I'm okay Daddy." Dani called to her father.

"Godric's Hollow, July 31, 2010…I believe the estate that we're in is called Sanctuary and this is the home of the Half-Blood Prince and heir to the Wizarding World throne." The Doctor surmised where they were at.

Hermione raced into the barn to protect her child. "Get the hell away from my baby!" She pointed her wand at the intruders.

"Please do something stupid, so I can take out my frustrations on the two of you!" Harry also had his wand pointed at the two of them.

"That's….and that's…but those two aren't real!" Rose exclaimed in total disbelief.

"That's Prince Harry James Potter-Pendragon and his lovely wife Princess Hermione Anne Granger Potter-Pendragon. When will you learn that anything is possible in time and space?" The Doctor shook his head at Rose then turned his attention back on Dani. "So you must be one of their triplets. They called you Dani so that makes you Danielle Stephanie Anastasia." The Doctor wasn't the least bit daunted by the wands pointing at him. "Hello there no need for violence. I'm The Doctor and this is Rose. We really mean you no ill will."

Harry spied the blue police box behind them and couldn't believe his eyes. "Look no offense or anything, but I'm just not in the mood to deal with rips in time and space, Dialects, the Master, Cyberman, and what not. It's my twenty-fifth birthday and so far it's been a crummy one." Harry put his wand away. "Sorry but Time Lord, Companion, and TARDIS not wanted."

"Dad is going to flip. He can't stand the actor with his likeness and now this…" Hermione calmly walked over to them and picked up her daughter.

"Intriguing you know who I am."

"Harry is a huge fan of the television series based on yours and Rose's adventures, so yes he knows who you are." Hermione growled.

"That's Doctor Who?! Wicked Cool!! Can he stay?!" Dani's eyes lit up with delight.

"What are you going on about? What do you mean a television series about us?" Rose frowned.

"We've got the whole collection on DVD." Dani nodded. "That and Torchwood with Captain Jack, Sarah Jane's short run spin-off, and the anime about K-9 and his adventures. I should have known that if he and Torchwood were real that you would be too."

"Look it's fascinating that you're real and everything, but I can't handle a big crisis right now…" Harry felt like pulling his hair out.

"No crisis. Rose and I are here for a much needed Holiday and the TARDIS chose the Wizarding World." The Doctor was greeting the unicorns one by one as he spoke to Harry in a calm gentle tone. "I let chance choose the destination and here we are."

"Please Daddy…" Dani pouted at him.

"Oh very well you may stay, but I know that I'm gonna regret it, because with the two of you always comes trouble." Harry sighed in defeat.

"So can you really do magic and the like? You know like the books?" Rose still wasn't convinced.

"Like I needed a headache like this…" Harry muttered under his breath. "Look I'm sore as hell and I don't perform magic on command. I'm the Many-Great-Grandson of Merlin, Mab, Arthur, Guinevere, and Godric it's beneath me to perform meaningless parlor tricks by request." Harry focused on the ceiling above them and in moments it was raining rose petals.

"Now, now, lad you be nice to the ancient traveler and his lovely guest." King Arthur appeared beside Harry.

"He needs to be in bed." Guinevere growled her disapproval appearing beside Hermione.

"He spent days sleeping like the dead. It's his birthday. He's a quarter of a century old today, so let the boy be." Arthur scowled at his Queen.

"I see that some things never change." The Doctor arched a brow in amusement at his old friends.

"What regeneration are you on now old friend?" Arthur took in his younger appearance.

"Ten, but after taking in and absorbing the time vortex I don't believe the number thirteen has any merit anymore. It forever changed Rose as well much to her complete and total surprise and my puzzled delight she get's to cheat death too." The Doctor plucked rose petals out of Rose's hair.

"_Finite Incantem_," Dani eyed the ceiling and the flowers ceased to rain down on all of them. "Daddy can be such a child sometimes." She cupped her palms and conjured a burgundy and teal blue ball of flame, which she then tossed at The Doctor. "That's a simple demonstration of basic magic without the silly flair."

"Astounding…I never tire of magic." The Doctor juggled the flame in his hands.

"Isn't that against your laws? You're what four? Five?" Rose hadn't been expecting Dani to do any magic.

"Did you see a wand?" Dani rolled her eyes at her. "I've been magically gifted since I was born and as long as I don't show off in the Muggle Realm I don't get into trouble."

"Go amuse Fluffy for a bit. He's too riled up to deal with any visitors." Harry tugged on her pigtail with his good hand.

"Oh very well once again I'm just a child and can't speak my mind!" Dani vanished from her mother's arms.

--

"She's in a mood today." Arthur arched a brow at Harry and Hermione.

The Doctor sympathized with the little girl. "Poor little one, so little, yet not as little as she seems."

"What upset her?" Gwen frowned.

"She and I had a difference of opinion on a matter that occurred after the match." Was all Hermione would say.

"She didn't like your torturing her Da and called you on it." Arthur read between the lines.

"Something like that only Hermione was upset and not really focused on patching me back up the painless way. The other problem is that Dani got a good scare today and isn't ready to admit it yet." Harry conjured himself some Maximum strength pain potion and downed it. "A stray bludger veered into the stands directly in front of the Royal viewing box. She and Daisy tag-teamed and turned it into harmless confetti before it could bounce off the Shield Charm and harm any innocents let alone wake her cousins or baby brothers from their naps."

"Fascinating, yes, yes this event heralds redesigning the bludger, so an event of this caliber never occurs again." The Doctor grinned.

"Fewer broken bones would be greatly appreciated." Harry liked that bit of news.

"So…um…how did you two end up with each other?" Rose was at a loss because she'd only read version one of HBP and hadn't caught up on her reading in years.

"She's just had a near miss with the Vamperee King of Delta sector ninety-nine, so she's still in a bit of a daze." The Doctor had no intention of angering the Next Mab or Merlin of this time.

"Well then let's get her settled back at the manor." Hermione ignored her question.

"We'll let you read all about it through our eyes. We wrote our own series of books on our seven years at Hogwarts and can easily find you copies to read. You could also always watch the DVD's of the movies. They used the second manuscript for HBP and Full Circle…well that was a joint venture because Mione and I didn't wish to expose our world." He went about feeding and watering the unicorns without so much as lifting a finger. "There you go my friends…" Harry greeted each one of them. "All right I'll go lie down." He chuckled when they all nickered at him. "They'll watch over your magical blue box." Harry grinned at The Doctor.

"Chat later rest now." Gwen growled.

"Yes Grandmother…" Harry reluctantly vanished to his and Hermione's master suite.

"Oh he'll rest Grams you have my word on that." Hermione growled.

"Come Gwen let us show our old friend our Many-Great-Grandson's Sanctuary." Arthur called to his Queen and motioned for The Doctor to follow.

"I'd be delighted." He smiled then turned his full attention on Rose. "Will you be all right?"

"Um…yeah sure…putting my feet up and relaxing sounds heavenly." Rose yawned she was wiped out, still recuperating from her second regeneration, had yet to see herself in a mirror, and was dying to see her new look.

The Doctor also in need of some time to himself, set off on his tour.

"I can do better than that. I'll get you settled in a guest suite then you can indulge in a nice long soak in the tub." Hermione let Rose lean on her as she led her out of the barn.

"That sounds lovely…" Rose bit back the urge to scream when they stepped outside into the fresh air and found themselves face-to-face with Fluffy. "Nice…doggie…"

"He really is quite harmless now and wonderful with the little ones." Hermione conjured him three treats and threw them in the opposite direction of the manor.

Dani was happily riding around on his back.

"He's smaller…"

"He's been miniaturized down to a more civilized size and is now quite the couch potato…excuse me for a moment. Danielle Stephanie please take Fluffy into the house he can nap in your room with you." She ordered her daughter.

"Mother I'm fine!" Dani glared at her.

"You are not fine and need to nap for a few hours." Hermione stalked over and plucked her off Fluffy's back. "You're spiking a fever, your head is hurting, and you're getting weak again. It's bedtime for you."

"You're no fun!"

"You're nearly five not twenty and need to pace yourself magic wise." Hermione used her mind to make her sleep. "Come along Fluffy you can watch over her while she sleeps." Hermione patted each of his heads fondly. "That's Rose and that friendly Gentleman with King Arthur and Queen Guinevere is The Doctor. Be nice to them they are friends." She told him.

Fluffy bounded over to where Rose was standing and slobber kissed her.

The poor woman fainted dead-on the spot.

--

"She's a lovely lass your, Rose." Arthur waited until Gwen had left to check on Harry before striking up a one-to-one chat with his very perplexed old friend.

"Yeah, she is at that…she's been to hell and back with me that one has." The Doctor patted Beaky on his flank. "Never listens to a word I tell her. Just runs headlong into any situation regardless of the danger…" The Doctor stopped his grumbling and turned to stare off at the lake.

"Her first regeneration she was ginger a regular fearless amazon warrior…granted she had a bronze complexion which floored the two of us …ten regenerations and do I get to be ginger. No not once, but her, well, she gets it on the first go. She sacrificed her life to save mine not to mention the time stream…I carried her lifeless body into the TARDIS and suddenly she's glowing like a bloomin sun in my arms! Gods her mother was pissed at me horrified at what I'd done to her precious baby girl. She was at first until we came up with a solution and cloned Rose, providing Jackie with a carbon copy of her beloved baby girl." His voice oozed with sarcasm.

"Why even care what her mother thought? She's no concern of yours?" Arthur prompted him to continue.

"I'm broken! This form cares loads too much for my liking! Rose was upset and I couldn't have that, so I fixed the problem end of discussion!" The Doctor stalked down the path that leads down to the lake.

"So what do your fellow time-lords think of this current series of events?" Arthur ignored his temper.

"Oh well, the who lot of them are just bloody ecstatic about the whole thing! Want me to be president and all that! I'd just gotten used to the idea of being the last one and then the TARDIS is called back to New Gallifrey. This mind you after I soothed Jackie by cloning my Rose. That favor that I called in is gonna bite me in the arse I just know it…You see Rose was quite the busybody during the brief time she wielded the time vortex and that's putting things mildly." The Doctor glared at the ghostly image of his old friend.

"We've had our share of near misses, as we've been setting about mending time…Our task handed down to us by the council back home. Then we happened across the Vamperee, bloodthirsty evil buggers that's until you shoot them with a type of antidote then they can be quite tame. Damon was their leader liked to prey on innocents. Rose got between him and his latest snack. I dispatched him, but not before…She once again nearly died in my arms, but I carried her back to the TARDIS and she took care of the rest. It never dawned on me…I'm not supposed to be able to father children…My interlude with Reinette produced an heir to my legacy. The proof was standing in front of my eyes. Rose looked like a mirror image of her…By Rassilon this is beyond complicated…" He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Arthur arched a brow at him as if to say surely there's more.

"I care about her…"

Arthur folded his arms across his chest and scowled.

"I love her more than anything in existence!" He finally voiced his true feelings about his Rose not that it helped matters any things were still beyond complicated. "Are you happy now your majesty!"

"Nothings changed you still can't allow yourself any happiness. Considering the circumstances your Rose seems to be handling the change rather well." Arthur narrowed his eyes at him, when the Doctor's shot him a guilty look. "You did let her see herself didn't you?"

"Yeah about that…" The doctor scrubbed at his face with his hands. "You see I haven't let her see herself yet…I mean yes she knows she's a blonde again and her skin is peaches and cream perfection, but that's it…"

"You my friend are in it up to your neck and sinking fast."

"Tell me something I don't know…I've faced Satan himself, the beast and all that, right on the edge of a black hole. Yet, I can't get up the courage to show her what she looks like. I mean, she liked her well enough when she met Reinette, but then after that final trip into the fireplace. Finding out that it was too late that she had died…I kind of moped about for a while and she's fussy when it comes to anyone breaking my hearts." The Doctor sat down under the Great Oak to think.

"You always were a clueless one and even after ten regenerations nothing has really changed." Merlin appeared beside him.

"Hello old friend you look a might different…" The Doctor scowled at Merlin. "What'd you do get tired of the ancient trappings?"

"New Generation to nurture new look…" Merlin shrugged his shoulders. "Mab likes it and that's all that matters."

"Queen Mab, the woman who can't stand the sight of you?" The Doctor's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Mab as in my wife and that was centuries ago…the boy made us see the error of our ways." Merlin grumbled.

"Oh yes, that's right Harry and the Golden Age Of Magic…well someone had to clean up your mess might as well be your what fifth no maybe sixth generation grandson and his mates." The Doctor rolled his eyes at Merlin.

"You sir are sitting on the gateway to Avalon…Of all the ungrateful ingrates you take the cake as the mortals say!" Merlin's eyes blazed and expression became thunderous.

"Gotcha! Gods you always were easy to rile up some things never change." The Doctor grinned wickedly and winked at him.

--

Hermione tucked Dani in first before tending to their guest. She led her upstairs and into the Avalon suite. "Would you like me to draw you a bath or do you wish to rest?"

"What? Um…no…I mean I don't wanna be a bother or put you out or anything…" Rose bit down on her lip she was still in a daze.

"Nonsense. I'm a Healer tending to people is what I love to do." Hermione disappeared into the adjoining bath and went to prepare her tub.

"So how do you live with it?" Rose followed her into the bathroom.

"Live with what?" Hermione turned around to give her a puzzled look.

"Well you know all that power and being able to wield it like you do." Rose had yet to look in the mirror a part of her was afraid to after the way The Doctor had reacted upon seeing her second regeneration.

"You've heard of the saying 'With power comes great responsibility' well every word of it is true. The trick is to embrace it, not fear it, and then only then can you learn how to wield it." Hermione added fragrant rose bath oil that created luxurious mountains of bubbles, then added potions, and bath salts to soothe her frazzled emotions.

"My Mum couldn't handle it…nearly went out of her mind that was until we provided her with another me. She's happy as can be now and all because she has her own happy world the way she likes it and another me that dotes on her every whim." Rose finally turned to glare at her reflection, what she saw shocked her down to her toes.

She looked like Reinette. Madame de Pompadour the woman who ensnared her Doctor's heart in the span of less than a day then on losing her shattered it. Was this the TARDIS's idea of a joke?! Lady Romana had told her that her incarnations were of ancestors down her family tree or past lives like her previous incarnation where she'd been an Ancient warrior queen. She was happy to at least be somewhat back to normal with similar features to her old self. 

Rose planted her hands on her hips and stomped her feet in frustration. "Now this beyond blows! Damn it all in her idea of fun! I've gotten him exactly where I want him and now that's been blown out of the water! Knowing him and his morals it's back to chaste kisses on the forehead!"

_No wonder he refused to let her see herself in the mirror! So what if she was princess beautiful! Who cared if she may or may not be some of some relation to Madame de Pompadour? He obviously had done more than dancing those hours that he was away, but then again Mickey had been with her so he'd been a free agent. Not that her and Mickey were lovers during that time. She'd been hopelessly smitten with her Doctor nearly from minute one. I mean who cared that it'd make him what her many- great-grandpapa or something like that. I mean like it really mattered anymore since he wasn't human and neither was she!_

(Meanwhile at the oak tree The Doctor buried his face in his hands and muttered something like. "I can't handle this…")

"No not really his affair with Madame de Pompadour insured that you would eventually be born, grow up, meet your destiny, and save the future and time itself." Hermione gave her another perspective to think about. "He's a distant and I stress the word distant link in your bloodline. It's no wonder that you're so drawn to him and him to you. Here in our world it's no big thing. I mean my cousins are living proof that it's not always a mistake to inbreed give or take a bad seed or two. I don't see that happening between the two of you, because the one thing that keeps him going. The one constant in his mind always is his belief in you. He revealed that in the pit when he faced Satan himself, bet he didn't tell you that did he. He's lost without you. You anchor him to reality."

"I have to get my hands on those DVD's." Rose grinned.

"Later I promise, even if I have to slip him some sleeping potion, but for now focus on your bath." Hermione winked at her grinning mischievously.

Rose wasted no time striping out of her clothes and nearly diving into the tub. "It's seems like decades since I've gotten to indulge in a tub….I know the TARDIS has one somewhere, but I've only found the shower and sauna. There has to be a tub in there somewhere, but then I've never really asked about it…hmm…maybe I will." She closed her eyes and let the soothing waters work their magic.

"I'll set you out some fresh clothes, a robe, and a nightshirt for you to slip on if you just wish to crawl into the bed and sleep for a while. Touch the screen in here, the bedroom, or sitting room. Then select intercom and one of us will be up to check on you. I'll have to give Franc a ring and he'll send some clothes and necessities to the house…your size three or four?"

"Four at least I was…"

"You've a similar figure as, Rory and Dromi. I'll have him go by that. Enjoy your tub." Hermione vanished.

--

James, Lily, with Jamie and Rafe in their arms arrived home an hour or so later to a quiet house.

"I'll put the boys in their cribs. Harry and Dani must by resting. I'm glad we decided to come home instead of Holiday with the others this weekend." Lily yawned.

"The boy's were worried about their big sister and their parents, where as our twins and the girls didn't think twice about staying with Dad and the others for a few days. Do they know something that we don't?" James followed her up the stairs down the hallway and into the nursery.

"Don't be paranoid." Lily rolled her eyes at James. "So much for Harry's big twenty-fifth birthday bash on the Isle…" Lily sighed.

"We'll celebrate it when he's healed." James set Jamie down in his crib. "And it's not being paranoid it's being smart."

"Yes, he'll like that." Lily got Rafe settled in his crib. "Sleep well my darlings." She crooned down at them.

"We'll look in on Junior first then on Dani." James turned the baby monitor on and they left the twins to their snooze.

"Smells like Hermione is fixing chicken soup and fresh bread for lunch." Lily was relieved a truce had been called between her and Dani. "She and Dani must have made peace."

"Most likely Dani overdid it magic wise and didn't have any fire left to keep her battle of words with her Mum alive." James countered.

"What do you think Merlin meant by two weary travelers in need of a holiday? I see no sign of guests do you?" Lily looked in on Harry, who was reading in bed.

"You actually gave up and did as ordered that's so not like you son." James smirked.

"Yeah well, hello to you too Dad. Where are my girls, siblings and my boys?" Harry raised a brow at him in inquiry. "Don't be surprised if you're ordered to nap Mum. Many-great-Grandma Gwen is on a tear this afternoon not unlike Hermione…I wonder if the ring sets her off too."

"The boys are asleep in the nursery. The girls are with the twins enjoying the beach with the rest of their cousins under the watchful eyes of their grandparents, uncles, and aunts." Lily walked over to check on him. "Why's Guinevere here? Is Arthur here as well?"

"Oh yeah, he's here all right. You could say the two of them are visiting an old friend." Harry gladly took the pain medicine that his mother handed to him. "Thanks Mum one dose an hour ago just isn't phasing it."

"Old friend?" James frowned.

"Yeah, he's ageless. You could say he's a traveler of sorts." Harry kept his explanation cryptic.

"More like a time traveler if he knew them in Camelot." James wanted more than Harry was telling him.

Harry picked up his remote and turned on the Telly as luck would have it a Doctor Who marathon was on BBC1. "Yeah, you could say that he resembles that bloke so much they could be twins. He's got a companion named Rose as well and by the sounds of it the show was way off the mark accuracy wise not unlike Jo's off version of HBP. There's no Martha never was because Rose is a time lord just like he is and on her second regeneration to boot."

"Son you got hit harder in the head than we thought. The Doctor and Rose are fictional characters." James shot Lily a worried look.

"Son does your head hurt? How many fingers do you see?" Lily fired off questions and felt his forehead for a fever.

"Look I'm not concussed! Go down to the barn and look at the TARDIS with your own eyes! Rose is upstairs in the Avalon suite. Hermione got her settled there…now as for that fictional rubbish, well then so are we or aren't you forgetting that?! In the muggle world I am fiction!" Harry glared at his parents.

"The TARDIS as in that Blue Police Box there on the screen?" James looked at him as if he were nutters. "Harry that blow Krum gave you in the face…"

"Did not addle my mind! Look outside! Walk out on the terrace and see for yourself! He's sitting under the Great Oak or he was a while ago! Use the Omnioculars!! I'm telling you the goddamned truth!!" Harry ignored the pain shooting through his body, threw back the covers with his good hand, and maneuvered himself up to his feet. "Oh no you don't sweetie there is more than one way to get my crutches." He focused on the crutches that were downstairs with Hermione in the kitchen.

"Get back in that bed before I AK your sorry hide!" Hermione appeared in their bedroom with his lunch tray.

"They think I'm nutters, Hermione, and I'm gonna prove to them that The Doctor is walking around the backyard!" Harry snarled in frustration.

"Oh honestly, if it isn't Dani it's you!" Hermione set the tray down on the nightstand.

"Now wait just a gods damned minute Hermione! I'm not throwing a tantrum! I'm preventing my parents from having me admitted to St. Mungo's for psychiatric evaluation!" Harry glared at her beyond hurt that she wasn't on his side about this.

Hermione pointed to the fireplace with her finger and it ignited in her signature colored flames. "Show Mum and Dad our visitors please."

The fire changed showing them who they wanted to see. The Doctor chatting with Arthur and Merlin under the great oak and then it showed Rose crawling into bed for a snooze. It then showed the TARDIS in the unicorn barn…Bastion and Donnie were staring at with Bree scowling at them…then the fire vanished.

"You stay put. I'll handle it!" James vanished.

"Get back in bed you are in no condition to go lecture the boys!" Gwen appeared in front of Hermione.

"NO!! I'm gonna do what I wish! When I wish! How I WISH!! I Am twenty-five and damn well know my own limits!! I defeated Voldemort this is nothing!!" Harry's temper snapped creating an instant tempest outside.

This woke the boys.

"Oh really?! Well you could have fooled me!! Get back in that bed or else!" She pointed her wand at him.

"Enough with the moods Hermione, the boys are upset and I'm gonna see to them! Maybe Dani's right you do have postpartum depression!! Your moods are off the charts lately and weren't nearly this bad the entire time you were carrying the boys!" Harry vanished.

"We're treating him like a child and he's a grown man, so he has every right to be testy with us." Lily frowned at Hermione. "Sweetie you have been moody as of late…"

"She's had a very stressful month with one thing happening after the next." Gwen pointed that out.

"I've been stressed out a little, but I'm fine. I'm not postpartum…I love my babies!" She burst into tears.

"Sweetie, your emotions are off the charts it's okay this happens sometimes, especially with all the stress you've been under." Lily pulled her into her arms.

"Harry's mad at me! Dani hates me and my girls didn't even want to come home!"

"Harry's having a bad day. Dani doesn't hate you she loves you and Ally and Mia thought you needed time with Dani." Lily hugged her.

"No one hates you. The two of you are so alike that you clash with each other." Harry stood in the doorway with Jamie in his arms. "I just got tired of being ordered about like a toddler, so I snapped."

"Can I help it that she constantly tests me or that I hate it when you get hurt? It's been one thing after another this month…" Hermione sobbed miserably.

"She doesn't understand your moods. I'm sorry today went all chaos and I know that you've had a hard time of it this month." Harry tired to get her to stop crying it tore him up inside to see her upset.

:I love mama.: Jamie tried to help.

"See sweetheart even Jamie wants you to stop crying." Harry wasn't about to admit it, but his body was screaming at him to lie down.

:Mama hold please…Dada hurts.: Jamie sensed his father's discomfort.

Hermione went to hold her son. "Will you please go back to bed?" She looked him in the eyes, as she took their son out of his arms.

"Yes, angel mine, I will go back to bed. Rafe is still snoozing in his crib. Jamie was the only one of the two that got spooked." Harry gimped back to bed. "You two can go check on Dani…I'm fine…We're fine."

--

"Bloody hell, it was bloomin blue skies a second ago!" The Doctor exclaimed, as he found himself drenched by a sudden downpour.

"Welcome to the Wizarding World. It's quite common here to have sudden tempests brew up out of nowhere." Merlin smirked he was enjoying the fact the Doctor was out of his element. "Harry's in a mood hence the sudden storm."

"The females ganged up on the boy and he put his foot down. He's twenty-five and they treat him as if he were one of the wee ones!" Arthur scowled in disgust.

"He's hurt they hover…" Merlin got a flash of something occurring in the barn. "Question did you lock that contraption of yours?"

"No it's parked in a barn, so there was no need…" The Doctor narrowed his eyes at Merlin. "Why do you ask? Who's getting curious?"

"Oh no one dangerous just our resident teenagers, and one is a budding Wizarding Vet and the caretaker of the Unicorns." Merlin laughed when The Doctor took off running towards the barn.

"Dad he's having a time of it as it is, so leave him be." Arthur growled.

"I repaid him for ensuring our legacy a millennia or so ago. It's not my fault if he can't deal with that. No harm came of it…he's upset over nothing." Merlin grumbled. "He longed to have a legacy of his own, went so far as voicing that to me when he delivered Godric after taking Guinevere and I to the Isle in his TARDIS. I granted his wish when he found his first love in France. My debt to him has been pain in full."

"The Lass is like her Many-great-grandmama and you don't see the problem?" Godric appeared beside them. "She loves him and he loves her."

"Then they should get on with it! The blood relation is distant no harm will come from their pairing." Merlin snarled.

"Distant by seventeen or more generations yes, but what matters is how they perceive the situation." Arthur sighed.

"He's an immortal not even from this world. She's of three different bloodlines time-lord, were-wolf, and human." Merlin got up to pace. "And he claims that he's so bloody all fired intelligent! Could have fooled me! He's daft as a human or as clueless as a moron. Come along you two let us continue this in Avalon." The three of them vanished.

--

James appeared in the Unicorn barn just as the boys were about to try the door to the TARDIS. "Did the two of you forget about the cardinal rule? Never touch something that doesn't belong to you. Step away from the pretty blue box." He growled. _Holly shit that's the TARDIS! Like we needed some sort of intergalactic time mess to solve!_

"Uncle James is it real?" Bree stared wide-eyed at him.

"Yeah, it looks like the TARDIS. What's it doin' here in our barn?" Bastion couldn't resist the urge and touched it to make sure that it was real.

"Well, we're not fictional, so odds are that neither is he." Donavan tried to make sense out of the situation. "Torchwood exists, so why can't he?"

"Exactly, boys anything is possible in time and space." The Doctor skidded to a halt beside James. "I'll gladly give you three a tour, but wandering about inside by yourself isn't exactly recommended. K-9 Mark VII is a tad territorial about his home."

"K-9? Wicked cool!" The two boys high-fived each other.

"Yes, he's my dog…I'm The Doctor by the way." He offered James his hand in greeting.

"I'm aware of what you are and the chaos that follows with you." James folded his arms across his chest and scowled at him. "We have little ones about, mothers-to-be, and newborns chaos not needed nor is it wanted."

"I assure you that Rose and I are on holiday…no crisis…just much needed rest." The Doctor tried to ease his fears. It was unnerving in itself that the two of them looked so alike they could pass for twin brothers.

"Don't be like that Uncle James. I mean if anyone can handle a situation like that we can." Bastion growled.

"I'm Bree Granger that tactless curious one is my twin Bastion, and the blonde moron is my boyfriend Donavan Clearwater." Bree introduced herself and the boys to him. "Honestly Uncle James, they look up to you for guidance, so introduce yourself to him." She folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at James.

"No need Lass he's Prince James Harry Stephen Arthur Michael Potter-Pendragon father of the famous 'Boy who lived'. He's been through hell and back many times and has the right to be cautious." The Doctor took no offense to James attitude towards him.

"_Master? Are you in danger? I cannot protect you unless you let me out."_ K-9 sensed hostility near the TARDIS and reacted accordingly.

"Excuse me for a minute…last time he created a gaping hole in the door." The Doctor walked over and opened the door. "These are all friends K-9. We're on holiday. No crisis just a well-earned rest and relaxation break." He told his robotic K-9 companion. K-9 could now hover and was state of the art, unlike his former version. His head resembled a robotic dog and his body was not nearly as box like as it had been before.

"_Negative Master._" K-9 floated over and landed at his feet. "_Master never takes Holidays._" His ears and eyes expressed his mood.

"Well now I am! No crisis! No trouble just R&R!" The Doctor corrected him.

"_Negative the probability of a crisis occurring is 98.9._" K-9 countered.

"Oh come off it K-9 how did you figure those odds?! I'm not that big of a trouble magnet!" The Doctors face flushed a shade of red and he was scowling a sure sign that his temper was on the rise.

"_I'll refigure the odds, based on the occupants of the estate and on your record for crises and on the current time. The odds are 99.9 that a crisis will occur._" The dog scanned and identified everyone in the barn. _"Master? Where is Mistress Rose?"_

"She's safe up at the manor. Who here could possibly make you that certain that something will occur?" The Doctor growled down at him.

"_Princess Danielle Stephanie Anastasia, Master."_

"She's nearly five K-9 try again."

"No need K-9 your right our Dani can be trouble times ten, but she's still healing from her last crisis, so I don't foresee her doing anything major anytime soon. Seventy-five percent magic should keep her fairly grounded." James chuckled.

"No wonder the prince is near a nervous breakdown." The Doctor gaped at him surprise.

"She's been kidnapped and suffered from severe magic backlash all in the span of a month." Bastion smirked.

"That's before she was put on magical restriction for sending those bullies to St. Mungo's Hospital with colorful rashes and pustules." Donavan chuckled.

"Can't forget joyriding with DJ on Spirit on Wills birthday and their freedom from the Armed Forces party that alone stressed sis out enough to go into labor and have the boys." Bree added.

"That was one bully sent to hospital. She healed the other three and then both she and Junior set them on the right path." James corrected them. "She's a trouble magnet yes, but I wouldn't have her any other way."

"She's a true budding marauder and it scares the hell out of you, but then that's half the challenge then isn't it." The Doctor grinned at James.

"_Affirmative,_" K-9 chimed. _"May we go see Mistress Rose now?"_

"She's sleeping." James told him.

"_Mistress is weak from her regeneration. I wish to watch over my Mistress."_ He growled his electronic glowing red eyes could actually narrow and show emotion and his tail was flat.

"Boys, the tour will have to wait. Besides that I have a craving for some gold ole English tea." The Doctor closed and then locked the door to the TARDIS. "Shall we?"

"We have to, uh, check on the horses and the Griffs. We'll see you at dinner." The three teens vanished.

"Hermione's moody. She sets off Dani and that sets off Harry, which triggers sudden rainstorms." James explained why they fled.

"I see, so those three are laying low until they're sure that it's safe to go home?"

"Precisely now would you please pick up your dog."

"Why?"

"Just indulge me." James kept his expression and mind unreadable.

The Doctor did as he was told. "I'd rather not have to carry him up to the manor….he hates that. I designed him to hover to avoid such situations."

James grabbed him by the elbow and they vanished.

--

Lily was fixing tea when they appeared in the kitchen. "Tea's on. Hello I'm Lily." She smiled at The Doctor.

"Hello it's a pleasure to meet you." The Doctor smiled at her and accepted the cup of tea.

"James be a proper host and show him to his room. He'll catch his death running around in damp clothes, so find him fresh clothes to wear." Lily growled at her husband.

"I'll let K-9 guard his Mistress Rose, then show him to his room, as for a change of clothes we're nearly identical, so that won't be much of a chore." James kissed her brow and then led them out of the kitchen

The pups and their parents greeted them in the hallway.

"_Master put me down."_ K-9 growled.

"In a bit K-9 wait until we get to Rose's room."

"Easy guys, he's a friend and so is his K-9 companion and his lovely Rose." James greeted the pups with a good rubdown. "This is Rad, Lady, and family. Everyone this is the Doctor and K-9."

The pups barked excitedly at the visitors.

"Shush the boys are sleeping." James growled at them and the barking ceased to the occasional whimper or whine.

"You both have a lovely family." The Doctor set K-9 down and greeted the pups.

"_They like you, Master."_ K-9 translated the barks and whines.

"Yes I can see that K-9." The Doctor laughed as he was licked by the pups.

"_I sense the mistress nearby. I will go to her now, Master."_ K-9 used his new ability to teleport to go to Rose.

"K-9 Mark VII is just full of surprises." James arched a brow at him.

"True, but he's still K-9 at heart just new and improved." The Doctor grinned.

--

Rose tossed and turned in her sleep with K-9 diligently keeping guard.

Dani now awake from her induced slumber went to go peak in on their guest. "Hello I'm Dani." She whispered to K-9.

"_I am K-9 Mark VII and I am guarding my mistress."_ K-9 answered back in a soft tone.

"She's having a bad dream…"

"_Affirmative her life signs suggest mental distress."_ K-9 nodded his head and quirked his ears.

"I'm gonna wake her up." Dani walked over to the bed and Rose cried out in her sleep. "It's a really nasty dream too. Yuck. I hate vampires of any species." She got a flash of what Rose was dreaming about when she reached up to touch her arm.

Rose sat up in fright, trembling violently; she'd broken out in a cold sweat and was wild-eyed as if something were after her. "Where am I?" She was still half awake.

"You're safe in Sanctuary. You were having a bad dream." Dani conjured a goblet of water. "Here drink this…it's all right its only water."

Rose stared down into Dani's gentle emerald green eyes and felt her mind relax and the fear melt away. "Thanks, um, Danielle isn't it?" Rose took the goblet of water and drank some of it.

"Danielle only if I'm in trouble. It's Dani." Dani smiled at her.

"_Do you wish me to get My Master, Mistress?"_ K-9 floated up onto the bed.

"K-9?" Rose blinked at him in surprise. "Did he let you out or is there a hole in the door again?"

"_Negative Mistress. Master let me out. I watch over you, Mistress." _K-9 answered in a hurt tone. _"Shall I get My Master, Mistress?"_

"Um, no that's not necessary…I'm fine now." Rose answered hastily.

"_Master worries about you mistress."_

"Yes, I know that K-9, but he's probably off exploring…"

"_Negative…Master is pacing in the room next to this one." _K-9 countered.

"Pacing?" Rose's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why? There's no crisis. We're on holiday."

"_Insufficient data Mistress please elaborate before I can answer."_

"Then go ask him yourself." Rose wasn't in the mood for twenty questions.

"_Very well Mistress."_ K-9 did as ordered and teleported to the Doctor's room.

"No damn it that's not…" Rose sputtered in frustration. "Why do I even try?" She buried her face in her hands.

"Here try one of these they always make me feel better." Dani held out an assortment of Everlasting Lollies for her to choose from that she conjured out of thin air.

Rose managed a weak smile. "Sure I haven't had a Lolly in ages." She chose an orange flavored sweet.

"Keep them I can always get more." Dani set the other Lollies on the nightstand. "One will last you positively ages and I wouldn't bite it because it'll hurt your teeth."

"I'll keep that in mind." Rose winked at her.

"If you like those, then I've got loads more for you to try that are way better." Dani climbed up on the bed and sat down. "So did you, um, die again and you aren't really thrilled about the new you?"

"Yeah, something like that, but it's complicated. Now as for the new me, well, I'm more me than I have been in years, and the face is gonna take time to get used to." Rose chose her words carefully.

"Look at it this way. You wouldn't be here today if what occurred in France between him and Reinette had never happened. The Dialects would have won or worse. The same goes for the Queen getting scratched by the werewolf. You're like their kind only you burn like the sun…Honestly, it surprises me that neither of you got a clue until now." Dani provided Rose her take on the matter. "I mean he's not even from this world, so the rule really doesn't apply. Magic knows no one in this world goes by it and the royal family tends to ignore it as well." She popped her grape Lolly back in her mouth.

"So you're what four going on forty?" Rose stared at her in disbelief.

"Something like that you see my IQ and magic are off the scales, so it's a pain being treated like a baby. Oh, I like being a kid and stuff, but every once in a while I'd like to be listened to." Dani got all broody.

"Sorry if I touched off a sore spot." Rose would rather see her smile than frown, it just ate at a person's insides to see her unhappy, and she was no exception.

"Dani it's the same regardless of how old you get, how smart you are, or how magical. Parents are always right even when they're not." She patted her leg reassuringly. "You just have to grit your teeth and indulge them."

"Yes I know, but I don't have to like it." Dani sighed.

"No one ever does sweetie." Rose chuckled. "It's just one of those annoying facts of life."

"If your feeling better I can show you the Hippogriffs. If you wish to go up on them we'll have to have Daddy, Gramps, or one of my uncles take you. I'm too little." Dani thought that they both needed some fresh air.

"Griffs as in more than one?"

"We've got four Beaky, Goldie, their son Spirit, and baby girl Misty."

"Let me get dressed then we can go see them."

"I'd magically change your outfit using a glamour spell, but I'm too little for that level of magic."

"Then luckily for me that, um, Rory and Dromi are my size. Are they close friends of the family?"

"Rory and Dromi are my Daddy's older sisters and are secretly married to my Uncle Wills and Henry otherwise known as the Princes of Wales. They met six years ago this August twenty-ninth and got hitched the following summer during a wizarding ceremony on this date, so it's their fifth anniversary today at least in our world. In the muggle world they got hitched Christmas eve 2009 six months before the Royal wedding and five months before my Uncles were officially free of the Her Majesties Royal Forces. It's all a big secret so please don't tell anyone that I told you all of that." Dani worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Mums the word…nothing phases me anymore. I met their great-great-great grandmamma and we're distant cousins or something." She got dressed in jeans and a team Puddlemere United t-shirt.

"Scowl at your reflection all you like, but Mickey would get down on his knees and cry if he saw you now." Dani giggled.

"Yeah, he probably would, but I think he would have preferred my first incarnation more." Rose winked at her. "My hair is positively luxurious now." She brushed out her waist length cascade of golden blonde tresses. "I looked her in the eyes…we share the same eyes."

"Weird Clockwork things were the priorities not oh wow I resemble her, but how, or that you were compatible for their little project that by the way was the SS Madame de Pompadour." Dani rolled her eyes at her. "And you had your loyal puppy to distract you. No sorry tin dog." Dani giggled.

"Be nice he was a good friend…" Rose burst out laughing. "But you really summed things up brilliantly." She pulled on some riding boots.

"What was it like to switch places with someone?"

"Irritating I wouldn't recommend it." The Doctor growled from the sitting room doorway.

Dani's brow furrowed with displeasure at the interruption of their chat. "I was just curious."

"Curiosity can and often does get one into trouble or mortal peril. You are five come August twenty-eighth and you do not need to skip your childhood. After all you only get one." He walked into the bedroom with K-9 on his heels. "Isn't that right K-9?"

"_Affirmative master,"_ K-9 growled.

"You try reining in what I have to everyday and then only then do you have the right to lecture me." Dani glared up at him.

The Doctor picked her up in his arms. "Try me. I rein in a hell of a lot just to stay sane. I haven't been the same since I took the Time Vortex from Rose, so yes little one I have the right to lecture you." He held her up so they were looking eye to eye.

_She's going through the parents ain't got a clue phase, ten years early, so stop being so parental! No that's not right…I meant Grandfatherly about it! _Rose thought glaring at him. "Leave her be Doctor. She's having a bad day." Rose stood in the bathroom doorway scowling at him.

"I am being no such thing!" He glared back at her. "She's key to this timeline! There is nothing parental or grandfatherly about it! Everyone has bad days it's a fact of life!"

Rose gaped openmouthed at him her eyes wide with shock. "I didn't say anything other than the bad day part."

"You did so! I heard you clear as day…"

"_Negative master, Mistress said no such thing."_

"No quite the opposite Doctor you heard her thoughts, it's quite common between soul mates." Dani smirked.

"Let's go Dani. Let him chew on that for a while." Rose took Dani out of his arms and bolted from the room.

"Come along K-9. I need to go lie down before I end up having a breakdown." He hadn't figured on ever linking with anyone again and this beyond complicated matters.

--

James was in the kitchen with Lily baking an anniversary cake for Rory, Wills, Dromi, and Henry and a birthday cake for Harry.

"Everyone's coming home, so we might as well have cake and ice-cream tonight. The little ones are expecting it."

"Wills, Rory, Henry, and Dromi missed the World Cup today, because of a visiting dignitary. So I doubt their anniversary is going any better than Harry's birthday." James frosted the enormous cake that would be the base to his cake. "The memory book you made for them spanning six years of their relationship should make them smile though."

"That's a family project that all of us had a hand in making at one point or another." Lily smiled up at him, as she set Harry's finished birthday cake in one of the refrigerators.

"It's hard to get a gift for them these days. Even though, the houses were a hit." James set the second cake on top of the first one.

"The things everyone are sending for wedding presents runs the gamut from cars, jewelry, priceless art, you name it their getting it." Lily focused on making a few gallons of homemade ice-cream in various flavors. "They requested that donations be made to the foundations, but oh no they have to do both."

"Why not do both when you have the means. Everyone tries to outdo everyone else at events like these and we've added the coronation to the mix as well." James added his third cake to his creation.

"Yes, yes I know and the two of them are both expecting twins…"

"They'll be fine it's the boys I'm worried about. Especially, if they start sharing in the girls pregnancies... It's not like they can pause the ceremony." James added the fourth and final cake to the tower of cakes.

"Mum? Dad? Have you seen Dani?" Hermione walked into the kitchen. "She's not in her room."

"She's showing Rose the Griffs." Lily frowned. "Why is she showing signs of relapsing?"

"She was a few hours ago, but her nap must have been all that she needed." Hermione walked over to the isle to get a closer look. "Dad that looks gorgeous the four of them are going to love it."

"The family's coming home, so we've made a cake for Harry, and one for their fifth anniversary." James smiled at her. "How's Junior?"

"He's commandeered the couch in the Common Room and the boys are happily swinging in their swings. He's all set in there with everything at his fingertips. The Doctor and K-9, could he be anymore adorable, are exploring the inner sanctum, so we won't be seeing them for a while." Hermione ran her finger along the rim of the frosting bowl. "Yum excellent as always."

"We aim to please kitten. So has he seen his surprise yet?" James grinned.

"No, but Bastion and Donnie have because it's parked right in the front courtyard, luckily the top was up or his new Aston Martin would be ruined." Hermione sat down on one of the kitchen island chairs. "Do either of you know what happened to them last weekend? I tried to ask Bree, but she's keeping mum about it."

"The boys kept a secret from her and the girls and she isn't happy with them." James smirked.

"What kind of a secret warrants her jinxing them like that?" Lily frowned.

"Donavan, Bastion, Alan, and Sean are one with their animal spirit's…"

"Animagus and they're keeping mum about it!" Hermione got up to pace. "This is not good. They could get into trouble…"

"Calm down kitten. The boys are registered and a handful of people that being our family at Hogwarts know of their accomplishments." James was afraid she'd react like this.

"James this is a big secret, so Bree has every right to be upset with them." Lily scowled.

"It's been a week and their rashes still haven't completely healed. They know she's still peeved at them." James rolled his eyes at Lily. "If Uncle Albus and Dad said don't tell then they couldn't reveal it to their Lassies."

"Bree holds a grudge longer than I do. It'll take weeks for her to ease off on them." Hermione sighed.

"Or it runs in the family and she achieves it on her own as well." Lily was looking out at the backyard and couldn't help, but notice a wolf with brandy colored fur greeting Dani and Rose.

"By magic she's a clever girl." James chuckled. "If you can't beat them then join em."

"Poor Rose. It's just one surprise after another." Hermione shook her head in sympathy.

--

"Dani get behind me! That's a wolf!" Rose pulled her away from the creature.

"Hardly that's my Aunt Bree." Dani pointed out the unusual collar around her neck it resembled a Claddagh. "She's an animagus now. Change back Aunt Bree your scaring Rose."

"Sorry about that. I was sitting in the tree fort trying to focus and next thing I know I'm a wolf." Bree's eyes twinkled with excitement. "I'm Bree Granger and you must be Rose."

"Can all of you lot do that?" Rose sat down on the lush grass.

"Uncle James is many forms. Uncle Sirius prefers Snuffles the black dog. Uncle Remus is a wolf no surprise there. Aunt Lily can be anything Aves. Hermione anything it depends of her mood. Harry same goes after all they are the Next Mab and Merlin. Uncle Logan that's Uncle Albus and Aunt Minerva's grandson is a dragon. Aunt Minerva that's an easy one the cat and Uncle Albus is a phoenix. Uncle Draco it depends he prefers a wolf. Aunt Gin's is a kneazle. Uncle Ron's is a raccoon. Aunt Luna's is a phoenix. Aunt Rory's is a mink and Aunt Dromi's is a fox. Uncle Severus I believe is a crow. Donavan Clearwater that's my guy is a wolf, Bastion that's my twin is a dog…I could go on you see the key is that you either are or you aren't. There's no spell it comes from the animal spirit inside you." Bree explained.

"Sabrina Alexis, Dani did not need to know that!" Bastion and Donavan growled.

"Oh please I know what I can and cannot attempt until I'm a teenager." Dani grumbled at them.

"We're taking the Griffs up for their daily ride want to come with?" Donavan picked her up and then hung her upside down by the ankles.

"Yes!!" Dani giggled.

"Sorry I'm, uh, Bastion Granger and this is my best mate Donavan Clearwater." Bastion scrubbed at the back of his neck with his hand and grinned sheepishly at her. "Would you, uh, like to go up on Beaky?"

"Yeah, sure I'd love to." Rose smiled.

"Yes boys having a go up on Buckbeak sounds like great fun." The Doctor having sensed her distress came to find her and wasn't at all pleased to find the teens flirting with her. "That leaves Goldie and Spirit for you." He took her hand, pulled her up to her feet, and led her to the Griffs barn.

"Oh yeah, the guy has it bad for her." Donavan smirked.

"Yeah, but he ain't got a clue how to handle this particular crisis." Bastion chuckled.

"Come along Dani. I'll take you up on Goldie." Bree glowered at the boys and their rashes bloomed to life. Satisfied that they were going to be extremes for a while she took Dani from Donavan and stomped off.

"I told ya she holds a grudge."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that mate. Now let's go beg a potion off Hermione or Aunt Lily." Donavan scratched at his arm.

"Yeah right, the mood she's in she'll just let us suffer." Bastion pouted and headed for the house.

"Aunt Lily will have mercy on us." Donavan fell into step beside him.

--

Harry took one look at Bastion and Donavan and surmised that they'd set Bree off again. "Word of warning boys, avoid Bree like hell if she gets in a mood and you just may live to see the next day."

"She's pissed off because we didn't tell her that we'd achieved Animagus status." Bastion scratched at his arm.

"Or that we called her on telling Dani the path to becoming one and then commented on how clueless The Doctor was about his relationship with Rose." Donavan gritted his teeth, fisting his hands at his sides, so he resisted the urge to claw at his inflamed skin.

"Boys that massively monumental screw up is gonna have you on the outs with the girls at least until Christmas and that's if you're lucky." Harry hadn't realized just how bad the two had stepped in it and whistled low under his breath.

"We we're told not to tell anyone." Bastion felt like crying no Moria till Christmas he'd die.

"They meant not to tell the other students not Moria, Ami, Bree, and Binky." Harry rolled his eyes at them. "They would have kept it secret. It's what our other halves do. They're our very own secret keepers. Donavan you've confided everything to Bree why not this?"

"I had a really good reason at the time, but it escapes me now, and that's not possible I have total recall." Donavan sat down to brood.

"Look if we went and told them then they'd have worked like hell to achieve it too and that would've cut into our snogging time." Bastion threw himself on the other couch to sulk. "Bree got it on her first go. It took Donavan all of first term and the rest of us didn't achieve it until end of second term."

"Bree got it on her first go, yeah. Is she kneazle like my Mione?" Harry grinned.

"No a wolf like you, Uncle James, Uncle Remus, Uncle Draco, Uncle Stephen, sis, and Donavan." Bastion buried his face in the throw pillows on the couch and howled in frustration into them.

"Well then jolly good show for her." Harry went back to reading his fathers manuscript.

"Let's go you two. If this keeps up we'll have to have you admitted to St. Mungo's for observation." Hermione walked into the room to check on Harry and the boys were once again suffering from yet another more aggressive rash shook her head at the two of them.

"It's called the wrath of Sabrina Alexis." Harry smiled up at her.

"Yes, yes I know all about their big secret. It's no wonder that Jinx and Hocus have disowned you for the summer…I mean your animagus is a dog." She smirked.

"Hey!" Bastion rolled over on his back to glare at her.

"Let's see Donavan's a wolf, Alan's a phoenix, Sean's a falcon or bird of some origin, and our Bree's a wolf as well." She ignored his glare.

"Look sis! Jinx and Hocus are just enjoying being home again and have not disowned me because me animagus is a dog. They haven't a problem with them because they've grown up around them all of their lives." Bastion got up to stalk over and glare down at her.

"We've been home for a month and they only seem to come out when it's time to eat." Donavan got up, because the itching was becoming unbearable.

Jinx and Hocus padded into the room, gracefully leaped up into their arms, and began to purr.

"Very well, I stand corrected. Now let's go I'm starting to itch just looking at you." Hermione marched the two of them out of the room.

Crooks and Pepper, who were both stretched out along the top of the couch, grumbled their thoughts about the whole matter.

"Yes, I know kids these days." Harry reached up and gave them each a good scratch.

--

(Later that evening)

"Hello anyone home or are you still at the Isle?" Wills, Rory, Henry, and Dromi were greeted by the pups.

"Smells like someone's home cooking dinner." Dromi took in the aroma of freshly baked pizza.

"Yum pizza sounds heavenly." Rory nearly purred in delight.

"None for me thanks." Wills took out a mint and popped it into his mouth and then handed Henry one too.

"Me either." Henry groaned.

"Well, hello kids. Happy anniversary." James stepped out of the kitchen to see who had arrived.

"Thanks Daddy." The girls beamed.

"Yeah, thanks Dad, so how did the World Cup go?" Henry and Wills asked thinking that chatting would keep their mind off their tender stomachs.

"Let's just say we won the match and leave it at that. Dinner will be ready in a bit." James went back into the kitchen and the door swung shut behind him.

"Something's up Daddy wasn't all smiles anymore." Rory frowned.

"I wonder if Krum hurt baby brother again or even worse this time." Dromi growled.

"Odds are yes…You were napping on our way home, so Henry and I didn't listen to the Wizard Wireless for news about…Holy Quidditch what the hell happened to you?" Wills led Rory into the Common room where Harry was resting on the couch with Dani snoozing in his arms.

The Doctor and Rose were curled up on the opposite couch, with a huge bowl of popcorn within easy reach, watching the six and seventh movies on the Telly, while feeding Jamie and Rafe their bottles.

"Never mind him look at who's on the couch feeding the boys." Henry gaped at The Doctor and Rose in disbelief.

"Shush Dani's sleeping." Harry hissed at them. :That's The Doctor and Rose Tyler sitting on the couch. Now as for what happened to me that would be Victor Krum and a few rouge bludgers. Draco, Ron, Logan, Casey, and Chase are all pretty much broken, bruised, and battered too. Hermione not so much or I would have killed them all on the spot instead of marking nearly all of their sorry hides.:

"They should all be thrown into Azkaban for acting up like that…" Rory hissed.

"Rouge bludgers? What about all the innocent spectators?" Dromi worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

:There were many walking wounded, because even the replacement bludgers were tampered with too, so we were dealing with more than just two.: Harry used his mind to talk as not to awaken Dani. :Krum's up for attempted first-degree murder and the rest of his team is up on charges as well as their team owner, manager, and the head of the International Quidditch League. He was the last official to inspect everyone's gear. He missed Krum's broom with the retractable blades in it, and the bludgers, so he's guilty as hell. Bulgaria is basically banned from Quidditch for life as are all of their players.:

"So where is everyone?"

:They're at home nursing their war wounds. You see not many us are in any condition to party. Daniel and Em are in London for the premiere of his movie and just like you missed the chaos that followed at the Cup. Colin and Dennis covered it in detail. I'm just a little leery of watching the DVD that they gave dad. Bastion and Donavan are getting checked over by the jinx specialist at St. Mungo's, so Hermione and Mum are with them. MJ, Izzy, and my other two are in the playroom. The Coopers are off visiting relatives for the weekend. So how was your day?: Harry answered the question and added one of his own.

"Boring as hell compared to yours." Henry sat down on the LuvSac and pulled Dromi down onto his lap.

"Completely uneventful, so when did the two of you arrive?" Wills set down an overstuffed chair and got Rory settled on his lap.

"This afternoon we, uh, popped in and met Dani in the Unicorn Barn. We're here on holiday." The Doctor seemed at ease with the babe in his arms and quite the baby expert as well.

"Our last adventure resulted in my new look. I'm still recovering, since it was just a few hours ago that it happened, and the TARDIS brought the two of us here." Rose was a natural with the little ones too.

"_Help Master!_" K-9 floated into the Common Room with Fluffy on his tail.

"Fluffy leave him be he's a friend." James was chasing after him.

"So that's Fluffy?" The Doctor couldn't believe that they'd tamed a titan into a house pet.

"Yep, that's our resident couch potato." Harry smirked.

"Bloody hell that's K-9…" Henry and Wills couldn't believe their own eyes.

"Oh, he's so adorable." Rory and Dromi cooed.

"_Affirmative."_ K-9 floated over to hide beside his Master.

"K-9 you flirt the princesses are married and one is going to be Queen alongside her King in three weeks." The Doctor chided his dog.

"Please don't remind us." The four of them groaned in unison.

"No really, it's fantastic of the four of you to honor everyone with not just a double royal wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral, but also a coronation of their new King and Queen at Westminster Abbey as well." The Doctor couldn't resist making the four of them squirm.

"The PM and Gran both agreed that it would save in the long run to combine the events instead of waiting three or four years like I wanted. I found out about it just last month on my birthday." Wills grumbled.

"Next time share in the wedding details when asked." Rory narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes, next time don't tell us that we were to do what we wished and that you promised to dress smartly in your Princely military officers dress uniforms and say I do on cue." Dromi glared at Henry.

"We were serving in the Armed Forces our hands were tied." Henry pleaded their case for the thousandth time.

"Look for the last four years we were assigned to Embassy after Embassy all over the globe, not to mention had to take a go at every branch of the Military. So when it came to the wedding decisions we were basically out of the loop anyway, so we just gave them full rein. I was undergoing a hell of a lot of diplomatic training unbeknownst to me it was all leading up to taking the throne earlier than I'd foreseen." Wills was so tired of going rounds about this.

"You've been on that path for six years, since you became next-in-line after the death of your Uncle." Harry rolled his eyes at him. "The two of you had no choice, but to take your duty seriously."

"Well, when you bring so many good spirits back from the afterlife then an exchange of equally deplorable spirits is needed to fill the void. I can think of no one better than Deatheaters, two wicked princes, an equally wicked mistress, and her kids. It was the perfect justice for an atrocious crime. Your mother was a beautiful soul and one of a kind…Yet even from the afterlife she has managed to make sure that her boys were taken care of. The girls in your arms are living breathing angels. Who have only been on the living plain for a mere six years, and yet were allowed to flourish for twenty years in the unearthly realm before being united with their destinies." The Doctor smiled at the four of them. "Congratulations on your little ones. Elizabeth will be overjoyed with the four new additions to the crown."

:Will you be nice!: Rose narrowed her eyes at him.

:I am being nice! What is so bad about I'm doing!?: The Doctor glared back at her.

"By the gods linked and yet still hopelessly clueless." Harry shook his head in disbelief. "Rose don't hurt him…He's just being himself. He can't help it that he lives to push individuals buttons just to sit back and watch them interact with one another." Harry put his foot down and ended the Doctors fun. "This is the Wizarding World, sir. My kingdom if you will, I'll not have that kind of confrontation and tension here in my home or used on my family. You are on Holiday, so no trying to pull anyone's strings."

"I do not do that! I mean that's beyond breaking the code of ethics and I'll have you stay out of other peoples private conversations!" The Doctor had rarely been called on his people watching hobby and it stung to have it described as a puppeteer manipulating a marionette on strings.

"You're rusty at shielding your thoughts and Rose is a newbie at it. I merely picked up on your spiking emotions. You see a mind is like an open book to me." Harry added another zinger to the mix.

Rose bit down on her lip in delight. The Doctor was being put in his place by a twenty something young man with enough power in his pinkie to smite him from existence if he wished or send him to the end of the universe and back. "You do so do that. Doesn't he K-9?" Rose prompted dog to answer.

"K-9 don't you dare agree with them!" His face was red with temper and humiliation. "Rose this is betrayal!"

"_Master, uses his ability to manipulate others, to save lives, planets, galaxies, or the time stream."_

"See there he can't lie it's not in his programming!"

"_I'm not finished master. Affirmative mistress, there are times where master has incited situations between various alien or human life-forms to analyze their reactions. This one more so than the other nine of his predecessors. The master also cares more for everyone, and has developed morals. This master is my favorite of all ten."_ K-9 wagged his tail and his eyes shone adoration.

"Look you lot try to rein in nine other distinct personalities and see how well you…" His rant was cut off by Rose's kiss. She had turned towards him and used the kiss to shut him up.

Fluffy padded over and carefully plucked the boys out of their arms by their t-shirts. He then padded over to Dromi and Rory, who happily took a nephew to cuddle and then lie down at Wills feet.

"Thanks fella's." Harry conjured them treats and thought of his invisibility cloak which appeared in his hand. "Dad put this over the two of them for a while."

"This is great we get to watch the downfall of Doctor Who." Wills chuckled.

"I think not boys the beginning of something monumental yes, but certainly not a downfall." James draped the cloak over the two in question.

"So Harry what do ya think of your new set of wheels. She's a beauty isn't she?" Henry changed the subject.

"New set of wheels?" Harry grinned happily.

"He's been bed or couch bound since he got home and hasn't seen his present yet." James growled.

"My gifts are in Rory and Dromi's arms, a new car is just icing on the cake."

Wills used the remote beside him to access the carport and the courtyard. "That little brother is far more than mere icing on the cake."

The metallic blue Aston Martin shone like a beacon in the moonlight.

"Nice very nice indeed…all the bells and whistles too?" Harry loved his new car.

"It's been wizardized as well, but you have all the time in the world to look over your new car. I'll bring a dinner tray." James chuckled. "Now for the rest of you dinners ready go enjoy."

--

Harry had just tucked Dani, Ally, and Mia in bed and read them a story a feat that he managed on crutches. He was getting himself settled in bed after tending to the boys when Dani stood in the doorway.

"What's wrong baby?" Harry opened his arms

"Daddy? I had a bad dream." She whimpered and ran over to him.

"It's no wonder with all the excitement that you went through today." Harry let her crawl into bed and cuddle to him like she had been doing all evening. "What was the scary part and I'll make it go away. I'm very good at vanquishing baddies." Harry kissed the top of her head.

"I was being chased by these creepy looking vampires like things and a bludger was lurking about trying to get me too…" She sniffled.

"Oh angel, you picked up on what happened to Rose and the bludger scared you today. Your safe and none of those things are going to hurt you in dreams or otherwise." Harry crooned softly.

"She has no training, so she unconsciously projects her thoughts. The Doctor is an inadequate teacher."

"Or she's just coming into that part of her birthright and is a novice when it comes to the powers of the mind." Harry gave her another way of seeing the situation.

"Then he's a moron or in denial and should have sensed the change in her to begin with." Dani grumbled sleepily.

"Go to sleep. I'll hold you and keep the baddies away." Harry got her snuggled under the covers. "Your mum's not back yet and it's late…I wonder if…"

"I tell you when Sabrina Alexis does something it's beyond through…" Hermione appeared in their bedroom_. _:Sorry…Did she have a bad dream?: Hermione used their link with each other as soon as she saw Dani cuddled in his arms. :She overdid it today. Did she at least take a nap for part of the evening?:

:Yes she had a bad dream and try all evening just like this only I was on the couch. So how are the boys?: Harry yawned.

:We had them soak in a dozen different potions for hours finally we added Murtlap Essence to the mix. This time her jinxing made them extremely ill with high fevers, chills, and nausea. She's on strict magical restriction for hurting the boys, but she doesn't know it yet. They see her as a bad influence on the younger set particularly Dani. Our baby girl wowed the council with her performance protecting the little ones. Evidently they let loose over a hundred Cornish pixies and that was what Dad and the others were distracted by.: Hermione disappeared into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

:If your hungry there's pizza and cake. We managed to at least give the four of them a small celebration and they loved their memory books. Oh and even though I've only seen snaps and video of my car I love it. It was a nice surprise to end a crummy day.: Harry was fighting off drifting off to sleep.

:Your welcome there's more, but it'll wait until we can really celebrate your birthday. Preferably when everyone is healed and can enjoy themselves.: Hermione padded out of the bathroom and over to their bed. "Is she okay now?" She whispered.

"She feels insecure which triggered her nightmare and she picked up on Rose's own nightmare…" Harry whispered back.

"She's such a little surprise. I had no clue she could do that did you?" Hermione carefully got into bed as not to wake her sleeping child.

"Nothing surprises me with this little wonder." Harry settled Dani between the two of them. "The boys are fed, burped, diapered, and sleeping."

"I checked on all of our little ones. I saw Dani gone and went to go check the kitchen, but all was quiet."

"You must have just missed her, because she just got settled here with me all but a few minutes ago."

"Did you take all of your potions?"

"Yes even the vile tasting ones…"

"Well with your Merlin magic still tapped out they are all necessary…" Hermione was nearly asleep.

"Yeah…yeah…I know…" Harry mumbled in his sleep.

--

Chapter 15

Through each others eyes

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim Doctor Who or any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2007


	15. Through each others eyes

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 15

Through each others eyes

--

Here's the next installment hope you like it.

Notes:

: : Telepathic thought between characters

( ) or in bold is called a twin link

--

Hermione was up just before dawn tending to the boys and Dani was in the nursery helping her rock them back to sleep.

"We could try the lift?" Dani was rocking a wide-awake Jamie in her arms.

"Only as a last resort…the two of them are too complacent on getting their own ways about the lift." Hermione was walking the nursery floor with Rafe, also bright eyed and awake in her arms.

"There's always Daddy…"

"No he's healing and needs to sleep."

"We could go downstairs and munch on some yummy cake while the swings work their magic…" Dani shot her mother a hopeful look she'd slept through dinner and was starving.

"I did miss dinner last night and I am rather hungry." Hermione yawned sleepily.

"We'll use the lift to go downstairs." Dani grinned.

"Oh, very well, let's you and I go raid the fridge." Hermione winked at her daughter, as she conjured the double baby sling and set the boys inside it.

--

(An hour or so later)

"See it worked. The two of them are contently sleeping and we got a snack." Dani winked at her mother.

"That it did sweetie..." Hermione watched as dawn lightened up the sky when suddenly a feeling overcame her body. It was like a Portkey was whisking her away. She tried to reach for the counter for support, but passed out on the cool tile floor

"Mum I feel strange…" Dani was experiencing the same thing and collapsed beside her mother.

Harry instantly knew that something was off with the two of them and appeared in the kitchen.

"Hermione?! Dani?! What happened?!" He ignored any pain his kneeling beside the two of them was causing him and checked them for any sign of trauma to his relief there wasn't any. :Dad wake up!: He jolted his father awake.

:What's wrong? It had better be life-and-death as it's barely the crack of dawn!: James grumbled.

:Hermione and Dani are passed out on the kitchen floor!: Harry snarled back he was barely fighting off the urge to panic the two of them looked ghostly pale.

:What?! I'll be right there!: James vanished from bed.

Harry used magical means to get the two of them settled on the couches in the Common Room. "What happened? What could possibly be wrong?" He tried to make sense of the situation.

James appeared beside him. "That's a magically induced sleep all right, but who or what caused it?"

"It sure as hell wasn't the cake, ice-cream, and pizza they were snacking on. No this was done by magical means…" Harry felt helpless.

"Easy son, we're gonna figure this out." James put a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh my head…" The two in question moaned in unison.

"See the two of them are waking up." James went over to check on Dani. "What happened sweetie? Why were you and your mum having a snooze on the kitchen floor?" He asked softly.

"Yes, angel mine, what happened?" Harry knelt next to Hermione.

"Dad, why are you speaking to me as if I were Dani?" Hermione growled. Hermione was now in Dani's body.

"Daddy you're being silly. I'm your Shadow. Mum's your angel mine." Dani rolled her eyes at him. Dani was now in her mother's body.

"Dad!? They've switched places?! How? I mean this is…" Harry felt beyond helpless this was uncharted territory magic wise. He'd never come across it in any of the thousands of journals that he'd read.

"Switched?!" The two in question sat up to stare wide-eyed and openmouthed at each other.

"Now let's not panic." James tried to keep everyone calm, even though he was near panic. :Lil's sorry to wake you, but we have a situation in the Common Room.: He really needed her take on this.

:I'll be there in a moment. I was already on my way down.: Lily sensed the panic in James and her son.

"I'm grounded for life…I was just really upset with Mum… I wanted her to walk in my shoes…It was a metaphor! You know a not going to happen ever! I didn't do it! I mean that's omni powerful magic…" Dani burst into tears.

"Oh baby, I didn't realize you felt that way and no this isn't your fault." Hermione got up to go comfort her daughter.

"Yes it is mum! Look at us! You're me and I'm you!" She sobbed.

"Yes I know, but it's only temporary." Hermione soothed.

"This isn't some movie like Freaky Friday! This is real! I should never have vented at Daisy yesterday…Oh frazzle, she took me seriously!" She bit down on her lip.

"What's go on in here?" Lily joined them in the Common Room.

"Daisy granted her cousins wish by the sounds of it and that makes this a hell of a lot more complicated." James groaned.

"Hermione and Dani have switched places." Harry had extensive knowledge about Avalonian magic and knew that Daisy's magic only lasted a day or two at the most, so he was able to see this situation more clearly.

"Oh dear, well, if that's the case we have to let the spell run its course. Meanwhile the two of you can get a better understanding of each other." Lily was calm and serene.

"What's all the commotion about?" Merlin appeared in the room.

"Hermione and Dani switched places because of a certain adorable ten-year-old little blonde's granting of her cousins wish." James told him.

"Daisy did what?!" Merlin was now wide-awake and furious.

"She was only trying to mend things between us." Dani sniffled.

"It was an innocent try at playing peacemaker gone awry." Hermione agreed.

"She knows better! Cam thought that she was up to mischief, but nothing like this!" Merlin paced in front of them.

"She can only cast spells with a twenty-four hour time span, so it'll set itself right most likely around this time tomorrow." Harry collapsed on the LuvSac.

"Yes, her magic is limited just like any youngling, but this isn't something I can just ignore. She needs to know this was wrong." Merlin turned to focus on Dani and Hermione. "I promise you this will never happen again and I will find just how long this ordeal will last. Now as for you young lady let this be a lesson for you."

"Yes First-gramps, I know…be careful what you wish for you just might get it." Dani pouted. "She'll be on restriction won't she?"

"Yes Danielle, not unlike you when you were in trouble. It's the only way that she will learn." Merlin vanished.

"By Mab all of this magic and the knowledge as well…it's no wonder you feel the way you do." Hermione was able to feel everything that her daughter had to rein within her.

"No kidding and you with all the responsibility it's no wonder you're so moody and stressed out all the time." Dani was also getting a taste of what her mother went through as well as her aches and pains. "Mum I think you more than bruised your thigh. It's really aching and so is this body."

"It's the aftereffect of playing a match of that level of intensity. Your little body overdid it yesterday, but not enough to cause a relapse…Why you clever little girl your plan is subtle, but clever nonetheless." She shot her daughter a knowing look.

"Yes, well, the two of them are stuck with each other and are lucky enough to care about each other enough to link. They're just too cautious and afraid of bungling up what they already have…hmm sounds like you and mum a bit doesn't it." She grinned at both her parents.

"Chat times over. Go get the boys, so all of us can at least try to get some sleep. This is gonna be a long day." Harry felt like he was in the twilight zone.

"Poor Wolfe, sorry about all of this," Hermione walked over to him and gently patted his hand.

"You never know between Merlin, Mab, Celestra, Cam, Xander, and Chloe I'm sure that they'll come up with a counter incantation." James gave him hope.

"No in cases like this it's safer to just allow it to run its course. The two of you are switched until sunrise tomorrow morning." Lily shot that idea down and dashed Harry's hope of a fast solution to the problem.

"I'll go get my baby brothers, but I don't know if one-month-olds are gonna just accept me being in Mum." Dani got up to her feet to do as her father had asked. "Mum and I just got them back to sleep before this happened to us."

"Yeah, you're right we don't have a clue how the boys are gonna react to this situation, so I'll bring them up to the nursery." James vanished.

"I'll help him and then get the three of you settled and Harry his potions." Lily went to go help James with the boys.

"You go back to bed. Dani and I will be fine in her room." The two of them vanished.

"She's going on five…I'll never survive her teens. I'll have to teach DADA just to rein her in." Harry felt like crying and buried his face in his hands.

"Fall apart in bed, unless you want to bunk down on the couch." James came back to check on him with Jamie in his arms.

"What are the odds of the family converging on us today?" Harry groaned.

"Considering our guests, I'd wager that a family cookout will be imminent." James didn't sugarcoat things for him.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, so me and the boys are gonna lay low upstairs for the day." Harry grumbled.

"You'll hurt everyone's feelings and Dani will think that you're angry with her, so will Hermione. No you'll face this situation and not hide from it. Now back to bed or your mother will have both our hides." James growled and they vanished.

--

"So looks like everyone's sleepin in this morning…" Rose walked into the kitchen and found The Doctor making the kids breakfast.

"Morning Rose I haven't cooked in centuries…well on and off, but who's counting. It's fortunate that it's just like riding a bicycle you never forget." The Doctor beamed at her as he expertly flipped hotcakes in the air, spun around in a circle, and then caught it with the pan.

"He's wicked cool just like Daddy, big brothers, and our Uncles." MJ clapped as he caught yet another pancake then added it to the stack on the platter beside him.

"He's funny too." Izzy giggled.

"Momma's sleepin with Dani." Ally frowned at Mia; she had other things on her mind besides fun.

"No it's more than that it's like the two of them are different somehow." Mia munched on a fresh strawberry.

"Well at least you've go two devoted fans." Rose eyed the feast. "Does the TARDIS have a kitchen? In all the years that you and I've been together I've yet to wander across one."

"Yeah it does, but the food replicater is more convenient so we use that instead." He poured more batter into the pan. "Those two are worried about their sister and their Mum. Why escapes me as of yet, but I just know that I'm not gonna like the answer."

"Brood later your patrons are starving." She waited until he turned her way to cup his face in her hands, gave him a quick kiss, and then sat down on one of the kitchen island stools to watch him work all the while sipping her juice.

"Tell Rose what you wish on your plates and she'll fix it for you." The Doctor smiled at the kiddies and then blew a kiss at Rose.

"What'll it be little mates one two or three hotcakes?" Rose was game if he was. This was a playful side of him that she rarely had the joy of seeing. She had the four of them happily eating their breakfast in minutes. "That's how you feed the troops." She fixed them both a plate of breakfast and then they joined the kids at the table.

"Sweetie what did you mean by they're different?" The Doctor saw that Ally and Mia weren't eating a sure sign the two of them were worried about something.

"Dani, Ally, and I are triplets, so we share a special link. It's our secret way of talking to each other. We always check in with each other in the morning, yet today all we sense is our Mum. It's like Dani isn't there right now, but Mum is." Mia explained.

:She didn't…: Rose bit down on her lip.

:Evidently someone did.: The Doctor nodded keeping his expression gentle and his tone calm. "Girls if something has happened between your mother and sister then it's a temporary situation and nothing to worry your little heads over."

"Something powerful enough to switch the two of them into each others bodies is most likely dark magic or Daisy's idea of a quick fix between the two of them." Ally rolled her eyes at him in exasperation. **(And here we thought he was intelligent…)**

"Mum and Dani have been at odds with each other off and on for months. Neither can see the others points of view and they constantly clash with each other. Yesterday Dani vented at our cousin Daisy about wishing to switch places with Mum. She's nearly eleven and of full Avalonian blood." Mia took over for Ally for a bit. **(I know it's such a disappointment and I had such high hopes for him too.)**

"She's the Great-Granddaughter of Mab and Merlin and as mischievous as Dani in every way. She's like our big sister in many ways…I guess she's like a role model of sorts." Ally sighed as she focused on eating her breakfast. **(Maybe he's just tired and needs a Holiday.)**

"So, if Daisy thought Dani's wish was the solution then she most likely weaved a wish enchantment on them. Those kinds of spells have to run their course." Mia explained between bites of breakfast. **(Look at him he's completely floored.)**

"Yes, otherwise you risk harming the recipients of the spell." Ally nodded agreeing with her sister. **(Well that'll teach him not to judge anyone before he knows all the facts.)**

"Oh well, that clears everything up nicely thanks for that fascinating incite on what's going on." The Doctor having been put in his place by two preschoolers focused on eating his own breakfast.

"The three of us aced our Mensa exams a few weeks ago, so we're not like normal everyday nearly five-year-olds." Ally smirked at him. **(Someone needs to take him down a few pegs might as well be us.)**

"Dani is the oldest not to mention strongest of the three of us especially in magic, so if anyone can take a shock to her system like that it's her." Mia added**. (Yes and its really fun.)**

"I'm a grown adult and having that happen floored me." Rose frowned.

"Yes, but then your not used to your birthright and we are." Ally countered. **(Gods Rose isn't any better.)**

"And have been since we were babies." Mia demonstrated by calling a banana orange muffin to her without so much as lifting a finger. "Dani did that with her bottle at five-days-old. She at the age of two months linked with Daddy, then apparated Merlin style, what we called wizard traveling without the use of a wand, and jinxed grandpa and this pesky photog the next day. She senses Daddy and always has and just goes to him no matter the distance between them. She's like momma temper wise and tends to jinx people who really upset her." Mia shot her sister a worried look. **(Um did I just get Dani into trouble?)**

"But then she only really let's someone have it if they bully one of us or beyond enrage her." Ally added hastily not wishing to en incur the wrath of her sister. **(Not to worry I fixed it…I think.)**

"Girls it's quite all right. I can assure you that I am here on Holiday and not here for any crisis or to deal with your sister. That mind you is key to this time stream as are all of you. So if anything I will just try to help if needed. Although, as you eloquently pointed out it's a wait till the problem runs its course type of situation, so there isn't much anyone can do." The Doctor found himself hugged by all four kids.

"Can you show us the TARDIS, because we trust you now that your not gonna take Dani away from us." MJ spoke up.

"Kid's that's not what I do. I help repair time, prevent disruptions in it, and yes I do fight the baddies, but Dani's not a threat." The Doctor tried not to chuckle, because the four of them were serious, highly intelligent, magically gifted young ones. He couldn't call them young humans, because they were so much more than that.

"DJ…Daddy's broken leave his arm alone or he won't carry you." Ginny chided her son as they entered the kitchen.

"DJ we're listening to you. Just stop hitting my arm, it's broken in five places and very sore." Draco nearly dropped him when he saw who the kids were hugging and who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. :Peaches are you seeing what I'm seeing?:

:Yes, but how is that possible. The two of them are fiction…aren't they?: Gin took DJ from him and stopped to stare at the two newcomers. "Hello what's going on and where are Mum, Dad, Harry, Hermione, and Dani?"

"Sleeping in by the looks of it. Hello I'm Rose Tyler and that's The Doctor. We arrived yesterday afternoon." She smiled at them.

"Hello there you must be Draco, Ginny, and DJ Pendragon-Black." The Doctor smiled at them as he got to his feet with four munchkins climbing all over him. "We've plenty of breakfast left please feel free to grab a plate and join us." He set each little one back in their seats. "Finish your breakfast and then we'll see about that tour of The TARDIS." He sat back down to finish his own breakfast.

The four of them dug back into their breakfast with a chorus of Hello's and mornings to their Aunt, Uncle, and cousin/nephew.

"DJ's been upset all morning, so we'd love some breakfast." Ginny walked over to the kitchen island to fix them all plates of breakfast.

"Dani's not the same Daddy. Why did she sound like Aunt Mione? She's not where she should be." DJ growled up at his father when Gin set him down on his feet.

"DJ you're not making any sense. You woke us up at dawn and wouldn't let your dream go enough for us to go back to bed." Draco walked over to the flat panel screen chose the intercom for Harry and Hermione's master bedroom and growled his greeting. "Rise and shine you two. I need to see you down in the kitchen please and bring Dani with you. DJ is upset."

"Little brother, I'm nearly in traction unlike you, who only has a broken arm. I have a broken left wrist and ankle, cracked ribs, am bandaged from nearly head to toe and I don't really fancy looking in the mirror this morning because that's battered as well. In case it slipped your mind Krum tried to kill me yesterday and took on slicing me up with his trick broom. Ferria is going through her burning molting stage and so is Fawkes, so no help healing me there. My healing factor or natural ability is tapped out as well, so I have to take fifteen potions every few hours. If you wish an audience with me then come see me up here!" Harry wasn't in any mood to be messed with.

"Do you fancy some breakfast? I can bring you up a tray. Are Hermione and Dani all right?" Draco sensing impending pain if he didn't play his cards right changed strategies.

"Breakfast would be nice. Is Dad up yet?"

"No The Doctor and Rose are minding the pack and cooked hotcakes with all the trimmings."

"Thanks you two. We had an early morning wake up, so we're not all awake yet."

"Understood, the little ones will be fine with Rose and me." The Doctor answered back.

"Girls your Mum and Dani are resting. Dani had a rough morning and your Mum's been looking after her. MJ and Izzy…Mum and Dad had an early morning too, so she and Dad are sleeping in. Bree's on magical restriction, so steer clear of her. Bastion and Donavan are still at St. Mungo's, but are going to be fine. I want the four of you to be nice to Rose and The Doctor." Harry talked to the four little ones.

"We will. We promise." The four in question chorused.

"Good enjoy your morning…Draco bring DJ up with you and we'll chat." Harry ended the conversation.

"Too late DJ went to check on Dani for himself while you were badgering Harry." Gin fixed a tray for Draco to bring up to Harry.

"Enjoy your breakfast, Peaches. I'm getting some answers." Draco kissed her on the forehead, picked up the tray, and vanished.

--

"I love glamour spells." Dani dressed the two of them for the day the easy way.

"Danielle just because you're currently in my body does not mean that you can experiment with any advanced magic." Hermione folded her arms across her chest and scowled at her.

"Sorry Mum, but I couldn't resist…I've always wanted to try that." Dani grinned sheepishly at her.

"Sweetie you're going on five and have no need for such magic." Hermione sighed in frustration. "Anymore slips young lady and I finish locking down your being able to do any advanced magic. I've already locked down all use of dark magic, and your empathic abilities until you are able to handle them that being around your eleventh or so year."

"Mum I know my limits." Dani pouted.

"No you don't and that's how you end up hurt. I can see why you're so frustrated and by capping off certain areas of your magic you'll find that you'll have fewer headaches." Hermione explained in a calm soothing tone.

"Well at least I can still do most of my magic…"

"Dani? Why are you in Aunt Mione and why's Aunt Mione in you?" DJ having heard most of their conversation made himself known.

"Daisy granted my wish yesterday when I was mad at Mum, so we're switched for the day." Dani waited for DJ to freak out, but he didn't.

"Just for today?" He frowned at the two of them.

"That's the best guess. We switched at dawn and we will switch back the same time tomorrow." Hermione nodded.

"Next time tell me. I kept Daddy and momma awake all morning, because I was worried." DJ scowled at Dani.

"That he did and now I see why." Draco stood in the doorway. "I'll take this to Harry and then look in on the boys." He headed down the hallway.

"Daddy's freaking out. Is Uncle Harry freaked out too?"

"No he's rather calm considering the situation, but I imagine that he's screaming on the inside." Hermione shot the two of them a look. "I'll be right back, don't you even think of leaving this house, or rudimentary spells will be all that you are able to cast."

"Yes Momma. Can I at least go downstairs to eat breakfast?" Dani eyed her warily.

"Very well, but be nice to your sisters and our guests." Hermione growled.

"I'm hungry and not going to be up to any mischief." Dani and DJ left the room.

"I've got her reined in at least for the moment anyway now to go check on Harry." She left the bedroom and headed down the hallway to master suite.

--

Draco found Harry in the nursery tending to the boys. "By Merlin big brother you should be in bed." He took in his bruised, battered, and bandaged appearance. "How are you even up on your feet tending to the boys and not passed out cold on the floor in pain?"

"Focus and Master Chen's training. Hermione is unable to help tend to them today like she, uh, normally would…so it's up to me to see to the boys." Harry expertly diapered and dressed Jamie before handing him to Draco. "Feed him his bottle while I see to Rafe."

"It's me big brother feel free to vent at me." Draco sat down in a rocker to feed Jamie.

"Daisy innocently granted Dani's wish, so there's nothing to vent about." Harry tended to his son.

"Well, I'd be going out of my mind if it was me." Draco shrugged.

"You're not the father of Dani, nothing fazes me anymore. That's unless I think of her as a teenager, now that terrifies me." Harry sat down in the other rocker.

"Then this will set your mind at ease. Hermione's using her time in Dani's body to lock down her advanced magic, empathic, and other abilities until she's old enough to handle them. She even went as far as to lock down her ability to cast any dark magic." Draco gave him some good news.

"Well then the two of them switching today isn't all that bad then is it." Harry was able to smile now.

"So what's the situation with your guests?"

"The two of them are on Holiday…" Harry smiled over at the doorway. "Morning Mione…Where's Dani?"

"She's downstairs with DJ eating breakfast." Hermione walked over to the two of them. "The boys seem to be content."

:Mama we be good till you Mama again.: The two of them cooed at her.

"Why thank you boys. I'm happy that you both are okay with all of this."

:Rafe saw you and big sissy change and I saw Dada get owie, but before it happened.: Jamie told her.

:Yeah, when dada was sleepin long sleep we saw stuff…: Rafe added.

"Be afraid big brother, be very afraid, it seems as though your kids are determined to outshine the two of you." Draco chuckled.

"All that matters is the two of you aren't affected by the current series of events." Hermione scowled at Draco. "This little body packs a mean jinx. Do you wish for a taste of one?"

"No harm no foul little sister…" Draco eyed her warily; even in a nearly five-year-old body she was lethal. "I was just ribbing him."

"Easy, angel mine, he didn't mean anything by it." Harry hadn't expected her to react like that, it was clear that she was still very much his Hermione moods and all.

"Look I spent my morning locking down our daughter's arsenal of magic and the knowledge of how to wield it, so forgive me if I'm a little catty this morning." Hermione paced in front of them. "She also knows how to use a Glamour spell and will be tempted to play dress-up with anyone she deems a target."

"That's harmless spell wise, unless she tries it on one of the pets then it could get dicey." Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

"We're terrible parents not to have realized the extent of her magical abilities or that she has had to spend over an hour every morning putting it all in checkmate. No wonder she tried to heal DJ. She had the knowledge and the power, so she assumed that she could easily wield it to help her best mate." She saw no humor in any of this.

"There was no way that we could've known unless she told us herself or the two of you switched like you did this morning. It was obvious to a point, we just had no real clear picture about what the extent of her power was." Harry was having a difficult time having such a grown-up conversation with his wife. She was in essence his nearly five-year-old daughter, who would no doubt be furious on returning to her body in the morning. "Dani isn't gonna be pleased to find most of her magic in lock down."

"She already knows all about it. That's how sis here is getting Dani not to play with Mummy's magic while in her Mum's body." Draco smirked.

"She played dress up with the two of us for an hour before she was finally satisfied with what we were wearing for the day while unbeknownst to her I was locking all of her fun away." Hermione looked down at Jamie who she was holding in her arms. "Now as for you and your brother the two of you have all the time in the world to discover your legacy, so please pace yourselves for your father's and my sanity."

:We see big sissy gets trouble, so we be good.: The boys promised.

"I don't mean to worry you or anything, but Dani and DJ went into the inner sanctum." Ginny was standing in the doorway munching on a pickle. "She cooked DJ, using the domestic wand, what looked like chocolate heaven and something healthy for her before the two of them left to I guess eat in peace in the inner sanctum."

"Cooked? She cooked?" Draco couldn't believe his ears.

"Never mind that she cooked! She's in an out-of-bounds area of the house!" Harry set Rafe in Draco's arms and vanished.

"Could you two watch the boys?" Hermione wasn't pleased with her daughter.

"Like you have to ask," Gin eagerly took her nephew and cuddled him against her shoulder.

"Hermione the two of us will take the boys downstairs and get them settled in their swings and then I will see to DJ." Draco went to reassure her, but she was already gone.

--

"Dani we're gonna get in big trouble for being in here." DJ stared in awe at the inner sanctum.

"Momma said no magic and nothing about not being able to go into the inner sanctum, besides no one can gawk at me in here." Dani sat down at the round table to eat breakfast. "Now eat as long as we don't touch anything its fine."

"Are you shocked that you can actually cook with a wand?" DJ was savoring his breakfast of chocolate crepes, with cherry filling, covered with rich chocolate sauce. "I mean it Dani this is great."

"I'm my father's daughter, so I guess it's the same when it comes to cooking." Dani was shocked that she could cook using a wand.

"You two are out of bounds." Harry appeared behind her chair.

"No I'm not, because momma never once said that I couldn't come in here while I was in her body. We're sitting here eating, because no one can gawk at me in here, and I can eat in peace." She offered her father a bite of her omelet. "The wicked cool thing is that I can cook too."

"That's not the point…" Harry thoughts went from disciplining his daughter to the fact that his taste buds were in heaven. "This is delicious sweetie."

"You should taste this Uncle Harry." DJ let him have a bite.

"Oh gods that's like tasting heaven…" Harry closed his eyes in bliss as the rich flavors exploded on his tongue.

"Young lady and young man march yourselves back to the kitchen this instant!" Hermione appeared beside Harry.

"Cripes Mum we're only eating and didn't touch anything." Dani got up out of the chair as did DJ only he grabbed his plate. "Let's go DJ."

"Told ya we were gonna get…" DJ gulped when he saw his father.

"Chocolate is not for breakfast, you know this. Just like you know this sanctum is off-limits. I'll take that…" Draco took the plate away from him.

"Come along DJ. I'll fix you a yummy cheese omelet." Dani picked him up and stalked out of the room.

"Gods this is beyond anything that I've ever tasted." Draco took a bite of crepe.

"I know…you should taste the omelet…amazing isn't it." Harry finished off Dani's breakfast, but let Draco have a bite.

"By Merlin I do believe that she's gonna be the one to break the family curse." Draco stared at Harry in disbelief. "I mean her first two tries at cooking puts us to shame."

"Yeah, looks like." Harry walked over to a perch beside the stained-glass windows where Ferria was going through her burning process. "I know you hate it, but you'll be gorgeous in a day or so." He reached out to stroke her head.

Ferria puffed up her body and jabbered at him.

"Yes, I know that I look a mess…Oh the tin dog floating around the sanctum…that's K-9 our friends pet. He's harmless and won't bother you." Harry cooed down at her. "If he's pestering you then switch to your perch in the den to finish your burning."

Ferria did just that and vanished in a flash of magenta fire.

"Honestly you two what kind of discipline was that? You stole their breakfast."

"Draco let's go to the kitchen maybe she'll fancy us with an omelet." Harry ignored her comment and headed out of the lair.

"I'm with you there big brother…we didn't snarl at her, so she just might humor us." Draco followed him leaving Hermione to stand there and fume.

--

"Will you please quit staring at me! Yes, I'm cooking! Yes, I'm fantastic at it! Move on already!" Dani snarled at the members of the family that were eating breakfast at the kitchen table. "Mum and I switched places just for today!" She blew her bangs out of her eyes in frustration. "It's me Dani not Mum!"

"Didn't you just make DJ and you breakfast?" Wills arched a brow at her.

"Daddy and Uncle Draco snagged them from us after Mum went mental on me for being in their secret lair." Dani grumbled as she set a plate in front of DJ. "There you go DJ enjoy."

"Switched or not that room is off-limits and you know that." James narrowed his eyes at her.

"I wouldn't have hidden in there if all of you…sorry some of you would've quit staring at me!"

"Our nearly five-year-old niece got popped into her Mum…so sorry if the four of us were floored by it all." Henry growled.

"You broke a centuries old tradition by being able to cook using a wand." Rory explained.

"That alone would cause anyone to stare at you." Dromi agreed.

"Sweetie, I know how tempting it is to try out magic or explore areas normally out of bounds for you, but rules are rules." Lily reminded her in a gentle tone.

"I sat down at the table to eat in peace…I can't even get that at five what made me think this would be any different!" She blinked back tears of frustration. "The hell with the rules, I'm taking Spirit up for a ride!" She vanished.

"Now what's wrong and why did she run off?" Harry gimped into the kitchen with Draco just in time to see her flashy exit.

"She hates being stared at and the family doing it is the worst." DJ growled.

"Dani and Hermione switched, because Daisy cast a spell on the two of them. That was Dani in Hermione's shell, so yes she can cook…evidently like a Master Chef and is bound to test the waters magic wise. Hermione is in Dani's shell, so she's got full access, and is able to give us all some peace of mind by locking down her magic until she's old enough to handle using it. Dani's not so keen about it either, so you're lucky she was merciful on you." Harry set the four of them straight.

"Harry James switched or not you will not walk away like what I say doesn't matter!" Hermione stalked into the kitchen.

"What you say does matter, but snarling at Draco and me not so much." Harry glared down at her. "So we left."

"Well seeing what we're seeing now it seems as though they had every right to want to go eat in peace and that's what there were doing in our lair." Draco helped himself to one of the four omelets on the platter. "Now as for you, well, all it looked like to me was you having a tantrum, because Dani can cook with a wand, and you can't. I tend to ignore useless tantrums."

"He's right, angel mine, it did seem like you were having a jealous fit." Harry was happily eating his breakfast at the Kitchen Island.

"I am not jealous of our daughter! I am trying to enforce the rules! Out of bounds is just that out of bounds!" Hermione seethed in fury that no one was taking her seriously. "Then the two of you went and stole her breakfast twice, because you are doing it again!"

"Sweetie, it's perfectly natural to be jealous. She's a fabulous chef and there were four omelets on the platter, so we didn't steal her breakfast." Harry chose a soothing tactic, as if dealing with Dani. "She left the first plate half-full and DJ isn't supposed to have sweets for breakfast, so Draco did his fatherly duty and confiscated the plate of dessert. Neither of us are one to let excellent cuisine go to waste, so we ate the remaining food." Harry held a forkful of omelet to her mouth. "Try it and you'll see what I mean."

Hermione gave in and ate the bite of omelet. "Oh yum that's divine…one would lie, cheat, and steal for food like this." Hermione closed her eyes in delight. "Please fix me a plate with one of those omelets on it."

"There is no way that she's that good of a cook at nearly five." Wills frowned.

"Oh yeah, she's that in spades." DJ savored the last bit on his plate.

"Better than ours?" James asked.

"To the moon and back better..." Harry nodded.

"No way…" Henry pouted, as they savored each bite in sheer bliss.

"Yes way." Draco put the last omelet on a plate and walked over to feed Ginny a bite.

"Oh that's bliss." Gin purred.

He put a bit on everyone's plates. "See for yourself."

"She puts the world's top chefs to shame." Wills happily savored his bite.

"This is five stars all the way." Rory agreed.

"Oh yeah, this gets top marks." Henry agreed.

"No more staring, leave her be, and maybe she'll cook lunch for us before she has to switch back at dawn." Dromi shot them all a look.

"Oh I agree she loves cooking just like her father and remember its still Dani just in her mother's body." Lily reminded them.

"We have ourselves a future culinary genius, who knows she just might become a chef." James grinned at Harry and Hermione.

"She's going on five Dad…we'll let her decided what she wishes to do and support her on whatever endeavor she chooses many years from now." Hermione sighed.

"For now she's just going to be a happy little girl." Harry agreed.

--

"This being switched sucks! They still don't take me seriously as a twenty something. Instead they stare at me like I'm a freak or something!" She set about getting Spirit ready for their ride.

"Dani what's wrong?" Ally and Mia appeared beside her.

"What? Are the two of you going to stare at me too?"

"No we just finished touring the TARDIS when we felt that you were upset." Mia tried not to stare at her, because she was in their mother's body.

"What's wrong? I mean you got your wish didn't you. You should be happy." Ally frowned.

"Everyone stares at me like some freak show at a circus! No one listens to me even in this form! I mean so what if I can cook without killing anyone! They were staring at me like I'd sprouted two heads or something!" Dani led Spirit out to the Griffs clearing. "Mum's most likely having a jolly old time locking away the magic that she believes too dangerous for me! You know what hang them all! I'm twenty something for a day and I'm going to take advantage of the freedom that entails!" She mounted Spirit and off the two of them flew.

"Hello girls, so this is where you popped off to. You needed to give your sister some comfort, eh. Well did it work?" The Doctor walked over to them.

"She's in a mood." Ally sighed in frustration. "She won't listen to anyone when she's this way."

"Everyone was staring at her, because she can cook, and no one listens to her either." Mia looked up at the acrobatics that she and Spirit were performing in the sky. "I just hope she doesn't go and do something reckless."

"She's still almost five older body or not and if what she says is true she's gone and broken a centuries old family curse. It's no wonder they were all staring." The Doctor bowed in front of Beaky. "Fancy a ride boy?"

Beaky bowed back.

"Good because your boy and Dani aren't planning on just circling the grounds or the lake. Girls run along and join the others in the play area. I'll be back in a bit." He led Beaky out to the clearing and mounted him. "Tell Rose I fancied going for a ride and I'll see her in a while." That said he was off and flying up into the clear blue sky.

"He'll only make her worse." Mia rolled her eyes at Ally.

"Or not he's quite good at peacemaking." Ally sighed.

--

"Not fun is it?" The Doctor flew alongside her.

"Go away!"

"Frustrating as hell isn't it? Try repeating it ten times…it's a hell of a bloomin headache let me tell you." He continued to chat. "Only in your case it's temporary and you get to change back to you."

"Fifteen years from now it'll still be the same! They'll be right and I'm wrong! It won't change ever!" She snarled in frustration her temper was triggering a sudden storm. Dark clouds formed and lightning split the sky.

"Easy with the elemental temper fit! We're still flying at extreme heights on the Griffs." The Doctor gripped tighter on the reins, but Beaky wasn't the least bit daunted by the storm.

"I'm upset…this happens when I'm upset. Sorry no worries though, I can easily control it. We won't be harmed." Dani headed Spirit back towards home.

"That's good to know…" The Doctor seeing something that needed mending decided to set down a challenge. "Let's take a quick trip fifteen years into the future, let's say August 28, 2025 your twentieth birthday and see if you're right."

"In the TARDIS…" Dani looked at him as if he were crackers. "My parents would go mental if I did that."

"It'll be quick as a wink. They'll never know we've even gone." He winked at her.

"You said that to Rose and came back years later or something like that." Dani scowled.

"The TARDIS has undergone an overhaul. She's fit as a fiddle. I can come and go with pinpoint accuracy." He shot her a forlorn look.

"Oh very well…" Dani decided what the hell it might just be fun. "I'll just use the glamour spell to make myself look like Rose." Dani winked at him.

The two of them landed in the Griff clearing and dismounted their steeds.

"They'll be fine. Goldie's taken Misty up for a lesson and they'll most likely go join them." She watched as the two in question took off into the sky.

The Doctor's eyebrows rose as he watched her transform in the blink of an eye to look like Rose. "Rose would love to learn that charm."

"It's a girl's best friend." Dani winked at him.

"Right then let's take that trip." The Doctor smiled.

"We'll go to the barn the easy way." She placed her hand on his arm and they vanished, only to reappear in the barn a second or so later right in front of the TARDIS. "Just give me a moment to prevent a parental meltdown and then we can go." Dani closed her eyes and focused on her father's mind. :Daddy I'm touring the TARDIS see you in a bit.:

:We're sorry baby. We'll be good about this I promise. Enjoy your tour, just don't go for a trip, or anything like that all right.: Harry answered back.

:If you say so. It's not you that needs to say sorry it's them. Now as for the tour don't worry I will.: She answered back.

:Danielle what are you up to now?: Her mother knew that she was up to something.

:Nothing mother…see you in a bit.: She ended the chat just as they closed the doors to the TARDIS.

:Dani your Mum is freaking out. Where are you?: DJ growled.

:Be back in a bit. I'll make you my version of Juniors cheesecake.: Dani blocked him out. "All set let's go."

"I forgot about the link that you share with your parents…Oh well, no matter this will be good for you." He set the coordinates for their destination.

:You aren't doing what I know your doing are you?: Rose growled in his head.

:Not to worry, I'll be back in a little while. Trust me. She'll be fine and it'll be good for her.: He answered back.

:Need I remind you that her dad, who is starting to figure out something's a foot, is just like Merlin and could seriously hurt you Time God or not! I love this you and don't really wish to break in a new one!: Rose was not pleased with him.

:So noted love. Be back in time for lunch and quit worrying I know what I'm doing.: He hit the button and they were off.

--

Harry, James, Draco, Henry, and Wills appeared in the barn just as the TARDIS faded away.

"THAT'S NOT A TOUR!!" Harry roared in fury the sheer force of his temper reactivated his Merlin magic too off the scales and the sheer power of that healed his body causing all the bandages to disappear into nothing. "GET BACK HERE WITH MY DAUGHTER YOU WEAK-MINDED TIME FREAK!"

"Holly hell, Harry. Your healed not to mention creating a mother of a storm outside." Wills gaped at him in disbelief he was literally glowing with power.

"ONE SCRATCH AND HE DIES!! ONE NIGHTMARE, BAD EXPERIENCE, ONE TEAR, AND HE'S HISTORY. BETTER YET WE'LL SEE IF THIRTEEN LIVES ARE ALL HE'S GOT!"

"Holly shit he's beyond pissed." Draco winced as thunder rocked the barn.

"No really ya think!" Henry gulped when Harry turned to glare at the them.

"I'M TAKING A TRIP TO SEE FIRST-GRAMPS WATCH THE BOYS AND MY GIRLS! I'LL BE BACK WHEN I GET MY ANSWERS!" He vanished in a flash of fire and lightning.

"That boys was him crossing the red line…"

There was a familiar noise echoing around them and moments later a beautiful red head gracefully stepped out of an empty stall. "My apologies for Lord Doctor's impulsive nature. He feels that showing a little girl a glimpse of what is to be will help her outlook on life immensely." She was classically beautiful, with a cascade of fiery red hair that fell to her waist, and highly intelligent blue-green eyes.

"How? I mean where is it?" Wills, Henry, James, and Draco couldn't see her time machine.

"The chameleon circuit disguises her, so she can blend in to her surroundings. I'm Lady Romana of New Gallifrey." She calmly explained before introducing herself.

"Lord Doctor's going to drastic measures to cheer up my Granddaughter and my son is ready to kill him many times over." James growled softly.

"Add to the fact that she's switched places for the day with her Mum and you've got yourself a quite a conundrum." Draco added.

Harry appeared in the barn in an even worse mood. "THAT ANCIENT OLD RELEC TOLD ME TO QUIT BEING PARANOID AND TRUST MY DAUGHTER! SHOWED ME WHAT HE DID ALL THOSE CENTURIES BACK AND NOW I HAVE TO TRUST THE BASTARD!" He narrowed his eyes down at Lady Romana. "HELLO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR DOCTOR WHO HE STEPPED OUT OF THIS TIME FOR A JAUNT WITH MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER!"

"All will be well, now please calm yourself, it's for her own mental well-being that he is doing this." She matched his look with one of her own. "Or would you rather watch her just go through the motions and not care about life?"

"Fine you win for now…She had better be smiling and happy again or he's gonna pay."

"You may give him a thrashing if you wish. I will not intervene. He has to learn that he can't keep doing things like this. Rules are not meant to be broken, they are meant to be followed." She turned her attention to the unicorns that were looking out of their stalls to see why the prince was so angry. "Who are these majestic steeds?"

"You introduce them. I have to go calm down Mione." Harry vanished.

--

(August 28, 2025)

The TARDIS appeared in the front gardens.

Annie Pendragon, the youngest child of Harry and Hermione, was happily gathering fresh herbs for her sister in the front herb gardens. She smiled in delight when the TARDIS materialized a few feet in front of her. "I wasn't expecting them to use the TARDIS, but then Uncle Doc tends to do the unexpected. "

The door opened and out stepped the Doctor and Rose, but no kids in tow.

"What a lovely daughter and sister you are for helping with party preparations. Are you excited to be starting your first year in a few days?" The Doctor smiled at the green-eyed, raven haired, eleven-year-old.

"Don't go all knowing on her introduce yourself first." Dani rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, I know who you are. Uncle John and Aunt Rose…" Annie sensed something amiss with her aunt. "Only she's different not the same as …" She locked eyes with Dani and grinned mischievously at her. "No wonder because your not Auntie, but Dani in disguise. Just like you wrote in your journal…Sorry I'm being rude I'm Anastasia Hermione Diana."

"We're here in secret…"

"Oh no worries, I'm good at keeping secrets. Let's see Mum and Daddy are off running an errand. The boys are around here somewhere or I hope the two are off at Dragon Manor mooning over Sami and Rena…So the house is quiet at the moment. Gramps and Grams are in London and Aunt Laurie's with them. Aunt Izzy and Uncle Orry, Uncle MJ and Aunt Daphne, Ally and Nate, and Mia and Matt aren't here yet either." She picked up her basket of flowers and skipped towards the house.

"Annie you neglected to mention me. Exactly where am I?" Dani followed her.

"Oh your, um, in the kitchen…" Annie grinned mischievously at her.

"The kitchen?" Dani frowned.

"Yeah, it's your passion." Annie waited for them to follow her inside. "You'll see what I mean."

"I'm domestic…" She pouted at the Doctor.

"You'll see, it's not as bad as your thinking." The Doctor smothered a chuckled.

"Jamie! Rafe! Stop eating my creations!" Dani's older self growled at her younger brothers.

"Oh no they've put you in a mood…" Annie bit down on her lip and thought twice about entering the kitchen.

"Come on Sis, we're hungry!" The twins whined in unison.

"Then fix yourselves a sandwich and leave my puddings alone!" She snarled back.

"But everything smells so good. Can't we be your tasters?" Rafe growled.

"Everything I cook or create is a masterpiece! No tasters are needed! Now out!" She ordered the two of them. "Go find Sere and Sami and leave me be! Better yet go pack for Hogwarts. I know very well the two of you have been putting that off."

The Kitchen door swung open and there stood Annie, the Doctor, and Rose.

"Welcome back, what no kids? So sorry, no time to chat at the moment. You see I've a million things to create and I'm on a tight time schedule." She smiled at them then glared at her brothers. "As for you two move your sorry arses and go pack for school!"

"Ah man this bites!" The twins vanished.

Dani stared at her older self, she was tall 5'11" at least, her waist length hair was braided in a neat plait down her back it was no longer reddish brown, but raven black with fiery highlights streaked through it. She was barefoot in jeans; a Puddlemere United t-shirt was just visible under her unbuttoned Chefs shirt with England's flag on the sleeve and Chef Pendragon embroidered on the front. She was also quite the stunning beauty and by the looks of her rounded middle very pregnant.

"Happy Birthday Danielle and congratulations," The Doctor walked over and gave her a hug.

"Thanks Hailey Danielle is at least giving me a break today." She fondly patted her rounded middle.

"Just the one?" The Doctor smiled.

"Yes. Ally has Jessica and Mia has Bethany both a year-old. I got to share in their joy, so one is fine with me. You see I'm a woman of many talents author, three and five-star chef, athlete both muggle and wizarding, humanitarian, princess, and can't leave out witch." Danielle shot him a puzzled look. "Then again you know that already."

DJ, very much the image of his father, walked in from the deck. "You're forgetting wife, mother-to-be, daughter, sister, cousin, niece..." He went from smiling to snarling in seconds. "Hang on a minute! Your not Aunt Rose…Are you out of your mind!?"

"Darien James why are you going mental that's Aunt Rose." Danielle scowled at him.

"That's you disguised with a glamour charm when you switched places with your Mum!" DJ paced the kitchen floor. "You went here!? No wonder Uncle Harry went passed the red line and became the Next Merlin! You left the frickin time stream! You never told me where you went. You smiled mischievously at me and said just a trip!"

"Oh…oh…that's right...no wonder your so out of the loop and minus your brood." Danielle's eyes widened as she realized who was standing in the kitchen. "Yes I remember this…got my first spanking. I was grounded for a year, magical restriction was nothing compared to that. Home schooling wasn't that terribly depressing at least they let me help in the kitchen. I really got to expand my horizons. University classes were a breeze, besides it was humoring Mum. I guess I'd already outgrown pre-Hogwarts, so it was a way to keep me busy and bond with the parents. See that trophy case on the wall behind you that's one of many. So go home grit your teeth and accept everything that gets handed down to you punishment wise, because it's worth it in the long run." Danielle walked over to the trophy case. "I won most of that by the time I was seventeen."

"What about Quidditch?" Dani frowned.

"You'll just have to wait and see about that. I mean you can't know everything about your future now can you." Danielle winked at her.

"See what did I tell you, everything turns out fantastic, now let's be off before everyone arrives home." The Doctor started to lead her out of the kitchen.

"Sis mum and dad are back. We're all packed, so can we have a go in the TARDIS?" The boys appeared in the kitchen.

"Sorry boys we've really got to be going now." Dani took the Doctor by the arm and the two of them vanished just as her parents went to see the goings-on in the kitchen.

"No way!! It couldn't have been you!" The boys gaped at Danielle and DJ.

Annie, who was sitting at the breakfast nook munching on a biscuit, grinned at her brothers.

"That was you!?" They eyed their sister in total disbelief.

"That was no one you need be concerned about now out of my kitchen!" Danielle pointed her wand at them.

"Better make yourself scarce guys or she might just give in to the urge and AK you or something." DJ walked over and pulled her into his arms.

"Go on you two leave your sister be." Hermione pointed to the back door.

"But…Ah man this cosmically blows!" The two of them vanished.

"Thanks Mum they've been pests all morning." Dani blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Sweetie, why is the TARDIS out-front?" Harry arched a brow at her.

"Well Daddy, now you know where I went when I was almost five." Danielle winked at him.

"No wonder you had a new outlook towards everything." Hermione walked over and gave her a hug.

"Yeah, you could say that I had incentive." Dani hugged her back.

"She gave her younger self a much-needed pep talk." DJ grinned.

"I'll be right back." Harry vanished from the kitchen.

"Dad's about to eat crow, huh mum." Danielle smirked.

"Yes baby in spades." Hermione sighed.

--

In the front gardens the Doctor was trying to get the twins to move. "Look boys this was a quick trip for Dani and we have to get back, so move away from my home!"

"I'm in Mum's body, so move or I make you pay." Dani growled.

"Now, now Danielle be nice to your brothers." Harry chided his daughter.

"Wow Daddy you look great." Dani eyed her father's older self. Even at forty he didn't look a day over twenty-five. But there was an air about him that of a seasoned leader, parent, and you could taste the power in the air around him. He was very much the Next Merlin. "Look. I have a years worth of punishments to get back to, so you can roar at me when I get home. I was depressed, and frustrated. I feel challenged again thanks to me taking this trip here I can actually smile and really mean it."

"I'm just out here apologizing for the thrashing that I'm about to give Lord Doctor. I went from being nearly the Next Merlin to the Next Merlin in one-shot, because you time-napped my daughter. Lady Romana arrived to calm me, but seeing as you're four and in your mother's body and Hermione was worried out of her mind nothing she said really helped much. He got the first thrashing and you got your tush tanned after you switched back." Harry kept his temper in check.

"So noted…I have these urges to fix what clearly needs mended and Dani was on the wrong path." The Doctor locked eyes with him.

"It's need to know information and I don't need to know wasn't the correct answer to where the hell did you take my kid. To the future would have been sufficient not something like its classified under the Shadow proclamation blah, blah, blah so you can't divulge your previous location!" Harry narrowed his eyes at him.

"Dani's future is hers and hers alone to strive towards. Besides, you two were blind, deaf, and dumb when it came to her feelings and would have mucked it up!" The Doctor opened the door to the TARDIS and gently shoved Dani inside. "I keep time running its course. If you don't like it then you can go hang yourself for all I care! Good afternoon boys…your highness." He slammed the door shut in Harry's face and then they were gone.

--

Dani paced the floor of the TARDIS. :Let's see there's the Defensive Charm, Protego, the Shield charm might work to protect you from anything, but Crucio or the killing curse, and AK can't kill you because you're a good guy.:

:Dani it's quite all right I'm much more than a time lord. You see taking in the Time vortex forever altered my genetic makeup and obviously did a hell of a lot more than that because I can father kids again. I rather like that, you see I adored being a father and grandfather all those regenerations ago. I run away from the term time god, but it's what I am now. I heal remarkably fast. Anything that your father can dish out I can easily take.: The Doctor had gone to the wardrobe room to change into something a lot more casual, since he was on vacation he should look the part. He chose a pair of jeans, a dark t-shirt shirt, and his usual trainers.

:I WANT MY KID HERE NOW!: Harry roared in his mind, the sheer force of the command sent him to his knees, holding his head in agony.

:Daddy calm down. I'm fine…: Dani tried to calm him down, but found that was a colossal mistake.

:NOT ONE WORD OUT OF YOU DANIELLE STEPHANIE ANASTASIA! I WILL DEAL WITH YOU SOON ENOUGH!: Harry's roar cut her off.

She burst into tears, curled up on one of the benches, and was trembling in fright.

:ENOUGH!! THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR! SHE WAS HAPPY AND NOW SHE'S CRYING BECAUSE SHE'S AFRAID OF YOU! WE WILL BE THERE MOMENTARILY!: The Doctor roared back at him, as he stalked back into the control center of his home. "The Shield charm might be useful and the Defensive Charm we can try that one as well." He locked the doors to the TARDIS.

"He's never been this mad, unless you count his final showdown with Voldemort…" Dani whimpered shakily.

"Nothing to fret about I've been through worse…can't think of anything at the moment besides absorbing the time vortex, but then I'm not thinking clearly either." He couldn't help but eye the doors when the TARDIS stopped.

Dani pulled herself together and calmed herself enough to focus on giving him some protection against anything that her father might use on him. "All set you're as protected as I can make you." She was back to looking like her mother again.

:Romana's here. I really don't have a choice and Harry's really starting to scare me.: Rose on Roman's orders opened the door to the TARDIS with her key.

Harry stalked inside. "Fun's over! Get your butt to the house and stay there!" He ordered his daughter. "Don't even think of it Danielle, no amount of cleverly chosen words will appease me now move!"

Dani vanished from the TARDIS.

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU TAKE MY DAUGHTER!?"

"Sorry that's need to know information and as a Time Lord I am forbidden to answer any questions regarding future or past events. It's a violation of the Shadow proclamation…" The Doctor stood toe-to-toe with him.

"WRONG ANSWER!" He glared murderously at him and the two of them vanished only to reappear outside in the Griff clearing. "NOW I'M ASKING YOU AGAIN. WHERE DID YOU TIME-NAP MY DAUGHTER AND WHY THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU HAD THE RIGHT TO RISK HER LIFE AND HER MOTHER'S AS WELL SINCE SHE'S IN HER BODY?!" He punched him in the face using both mental and physical energy sending him flying backwards sprawling onto the grass.

"I would answer him if I were you." Romana was sitting on the top rail of the fence munching on popcorn.

"Well you're not me now are you Romy and the answer is still no I'm not going to be Lord President again." He vaulted back to his feet and prepared to do battle. "Time-nap that's a little harsh isn't it? We were only gone for half an hour!"

"Try three hours, but it's better than three years!" Romana corrected him.

"Three hours of Hermione being scared out of her mind you defective relic! Now answer the frickin question before I really get mad!"

"It's forbidden sorry can't say." The Doctor went to slug him back, but Harry's lightning fast reflexes caught his hand in his fist, and followed through with a blow to the midsection knocking the wind out of him. "Dani's path not yours," He gritted his teeth in pain.

"My daughter is my business, as her father it is up to me to help keep her on the right path! Now where did you go?" Harry was losing his patience with him.

The Doctor stood up and glared into his eyes. "Sorry your highness, but my hands are tied. I can't tell you because the two of you were seriously mucking it up to begin with and I will not risk it happening again so go to hell!"

"Inconceivable now he decides to follow Gallifreyan law." Romana was impressed by his actions.

"Yeah well, he didn't have to rub his being a rotten Dad in to Harry. He's gonna up the ante and use magic on him now." Rose bit down on her lip, as energy radiated around both Harry and the Doctor.

"Well then maybe he'll finally learn not to act as rashly as he does." Romana was clearly enjoying the show.

"The girls are all up at the house with the kids. So who's winning?" Draco appeared next to them.

"Harry looks ready to fry his arse." Wills growled.

"He's still standing…he might come out of this okay." Henry weighed the odds in his mind. "Not bloody likely, but you never know."

"Junior's still using muggle fighting techniques." James almost felt sorry for the arse whipping that was about to befall the Lord of time. "His temper is off the charts right now. The Doctor is in for it if he ups the ante with magic."

"She's four nearly five! Try again! I listen to my daughter! I wasn't the problem! It's not me that she clashes with all the time that's her mum! You can't take innocents on joyrides in your ancient relic! Their lives are not yours to move around like pawns on a chessboard!" Harry mentally cast a toned down version of _Crucio_ on him. "If you can't tell me where you went with her fine I get that. But you will apologize to me and then to Hermione for worrying her out of her mind!"

The Doctor fell to his knees in agony. "I was just doing my job…" He gasped in pain.

"Wrong you're on vacation! Let's try this again. I can make it ten times worse, but then that's up to you. Now say you're sorry." Harry sat down in front of him.

"He hates saying he's sorry unless something terrible has happened to an innocent that he couldn't save." Rose buried her face in her hands unable to watch him in so much pain.

"Say your sorry you idiot!" Romana shouted at him.

"I did nothing wrong…" He shouted back at her only to cry out in pain.

"By Merlin he's as stubborn as Junior is."

"I said no going for a ride in your TARDIS! You're a supreme telepath, so I know that you heard our chat. Yet you still went and did it anyway that's more than enough reason to say your sorry! I can do this all-day! Now say it!" Harry increased the pain.

"All right…I'm sorry if our tiny trip caused you or Hermione mental distress! It wasn't meant to do so and she was perfectly safe the whole time! I would never risk the life of an innocent child! It's beneath me to do so!" He gasped out his apology thru teeth gritted in pain.

"Next time think before you act or better yet answer the question. I took her to the future would have sufficed." Harry released him from his spell. "You picked a hell of a day to pull something like this on me."

"She was miserable, it pulled on my heartstrings, and I wanted to help her see sunshine again." He collapsed onto his back and willed himself to stop aching from the roots of his hair to his toenails.

"We have ways of glimpsing into the future without leaving this time." Harry conjured him some hot pink pain potion. "Here drink this you'll feel better and no worries it has no aspirin whatsoever in it."

"Sorry couldn't move it I wanted too." The Doctor groaned in pain.

"Here give it to me; I'll give it to him." Rose ran over to tend to him.

"Easy love. I'm one big massive ache right now and I thought regenerating was bad." He opened his eyes to look up into her emotionally distraught eyes. He instantly saw red. "Damn it Romanadvoratrelundar! Rose did not need to see this!" He sat up to glare at the red head perched on the fence and instantly regretted it.

"Quit your growling and drink this all up." Rose put the potion to his lips and he obediently drank it.

"Damn it, Romy she was crying!" The Doctor had recovered enough to sock Harry in the jaw sending him sprawling on his back.

"I'll give you that one, because I made Rose cry, but try it again and I will AK your ancient arse!" Harry glared at him as he rubbed his throbbing jaw with his hand.

"Hang on a minute that wasn't _Avada Kedavra_?" He scowled.

"Hardly that was _Crucio_ and half-arse at that. AK will lay you flat for days. Put it this way you'd be well rested." Harry helped him up to his feet.

"Junior here is immune to AK. He endured it against Voldemort and Hermione cast it on him four times after that, and then just before the girls were born she AK'd him at least forty times." James walked over to them.

"Yeah, you would bring up such happy memories." Harry rolled his eyes at his father. "It leaves black and blue welts and bruises or can even break bones."

"That would have triggered my eleventh regeneration or not…I've got quite the healing factor these days." The Doctor leaned on Harry and Rose for support.

--

"Let's get you inside and you can lie down on the couch." Rose found herself in the Common Room. "I could get used to traveling like that."

"Harry James Merlin what did you do to him? Dani's fine, so taking your temper out on him wasn't warranted." Hermione narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"Get him settled on the couch, while I go get him something to ease his discomfort." Lily glared at her son. "_Crucio_ Harry? You're better than that." She shot him a look of total disgust then vanished.

"You were beyond upset that makes me see red and he refused to answer my question." Harry's face flushed crimson, as he grumbled under his breath.

"No you wanted to take your temper out on someone and he was an easy target." Rory scowled at him.

"She seems fine to me, so beating him up was bad form on your part." Dromi growled.

"In Harry's defense that one took Dani on a trip without his or your permission and his track record isn't the greatest." Ginny sided with Harry.

"Thanks, little sister. I'm going to go check on Dani now." Harry paused to focus on Hermione. "I'm sorry if being told that we were mucking things up with Dani, so much so telling me where they went would be a colossal mistake, stung a little and I lost my temper with him." Harry vanished from the room.

"She's barely five! How dare you make an accusation like that just by watching us for a day! We've had a bad two months! Yes, Dani and I are at odds at times, but that does not make me or Harry bad parents!" Hermione glared murderously at him and he broke out in hives and pustules. "You of all people have no right to judge, because you haven't been a father for over what a millennia now!"

"Look I'm sorry that I worried you, but I'm not sorry for what I did. I showed a confused and frustrated little girl what she needed to see." The Doctor glared back at her.

"What in the name of Mab happened to him now?" Lily appeared in the room with her Healers' bag and scowled at Hermione.

"I'm not going to just let someone call Harry and I bad parents when they haven't a clue about the facts regarding our relationship with our daughter!" Hermione bristled. "He's lucky that I'm in Dani's body or I would have AK'd his sorry hide."

"You have the tendency to strive towards perfection with anything that you do and you expect the same from your children. Pressure like that is enough to make any child at odds with their parent. Harry just wants her to achieve control over her gifts, to learn to use them wisely, and never use them for personal gain. Add to the fact that she's equally her mother and father's daughter and you have a volatile mix in the making or a clash of the titans. Temper sparks with temper and so on. Your adults she's not, thereby making her in the wrong regardless whether it's true or not." The Doctor knew all and had no problem flaunting it in other peoples faces especially when put on the defensive.

"You were hurting Harry yesterday while you were off in your own emotional haze and Dani called you on it, but of course she was wrong. You would never intentionally hurt Harry, she was trying to start a fight with you again, so you get after her for no reason. I don't blame her for her wish…you don't have a clue unless it evolves around your own little existence. Even now in her body, seeing things through her eyes, you still don't get it do you. Everyone makes mistakes. That's life it's how we learn…life would be deadly dull without them in it." He watched in relief as the rash faded away to nothing.

"No that's not true, you're wrong…" Hermione whimpered shakily. "I'm not like that at all…Am I?" She looked over at the others who wisely said nothing.

"It's a flaw of his. He's always right at least about reading people." Rose was perched on the arm of the sofa. "You got his back up and he rubbed your face in it."

"Oh gods, I'm a terrible mother…" She burst into tears.

"No what you are is a parent and parents make errors in judgment." Romana finally spoke up on the matter. "She's allowed to play and be a child regardless of her gifts. You and Harry make sure that she's a well wounded little person by letting her try her hand at various activities. Never once was she forced to endure any activity that she dislikes unless it's necessary for her to learn that skill. That makes you an exemplary mother of three very gifted girls, who are very much their own persons, and two equally gifted boys just weeks out of the womb."

"Sweetie, you grew up with parents who were clueless and focused on your gifts rather than your happiness. You never challenged them, but Bastion and Bree did so in spades causing them to step up and be parents." Lily tried to soothe her. "Dani strives to explore, learn, and challenge herself…"

"She has no choice, she'd go insane with boredom if she didn't. She's also fiercely protective of those she loves…" Hermione wiped away her tears.

"Like mother so very much like daughter." Harry appeared beside her. "I told her that her punishment wouldn't be handed down until tomorrow and she smiled and asked if Fish and Chips would be okay to fix for lunch. Oh and can't forget chocolate brownie cheesecake for dessert."

"Chips?" Rose's eyes lit up in delight.

"Oh and she created these jelly candies for you. She said it was in thanks for setting her right again." Harry produced a large container of candy filled to the brim.

The Doctor opened the lid and sniffed at the contents his eyes closed in sheer bliss. "Jelly babies! I haven't had these in six regenerations." He popped a few into his mouth and was in heaven. "Just like old times only better." He offered Rose a few. "Romy even these have to bring back memories for you." He arched a brow at Romana.

"Yum these are quite good." Rose popped two more into her mouth.

"It brings back memories of you in that ridiculously long scarf." Romana selected a handful of candies.

"I fancied that scarf, floppy hat, baggy coat, unruly curly brown hair, and my yo-yo. It was one of my favorite me's if you must know." He pouted. "I created K-9 and met Sara Jane, Harry, Leela…met up with you as well as Adric, Tegan, and Nyssa."

"Don't pout it's pathetic and beneath you. I see much of him in you. It took your ninth and tenth regenerations to achieve his greatness again." Romana smiled at him.

"No it took my meeting Rose to make me see the light and give a damn again." He looked up into Rose's eyes.

"Awe that's so sweet," Rose leaned down cradled his face between her hands and kissed him.

"What a fascinating turn of events." Romana took the container of candy out of his hands before he dropped it in his attempt to pull rose down into his arms. "How the stubborn have finally seen the light and come to their senses." She walked around offering them all a sweet.

--

Dani set about making lunch while DJ, MJ, Izzy, Ally, and Mia watched. "What's wrong with me cooking it relaxes me and keeps my mind off impending doom." She narrowed her eyes at them.

"Where did you go?" The five of them asked.

"On a trip." She got lunch set on the table and then went to check on her desserts cooling in the subzero fridge.

"Yes we know you went on a trip and we wish to know where." DJ shot her a look.

"To open my eyes and give me a new perspective on life." She answered back.

"You guys it's Time Lord law she can't tell us where she went." MJ recalled that factor in the puzzle that they were trying to solve.

"He's right she can't." Izzy nodded.

"Well just so you're all better now." Mia sighed.

"So was it worth what's coming down on you tomorrow?" Ally folded her arms in front of her and gave her a look.

"She's right Uncle Harry is gonna really let you have it as soon as you change back." DJ frowned.

"Yes it was worth every trial, punishment, or challenge ahead of me." Dani smiled serenely at him.

"Wow that must have been some trip for you to be okay with all of that and not growl once how it isn't fair." Ally gaped at her in utter disbelief.

"Ally it gave me a bright outlook on life and a new sense of self-worth that I've never had before." Dani was a changed person and better for it.

--

Later that night….

Dani was curled up on her bed writing in her journal about her trip to the future while it was still fresh in her mind. Merlin had arrived with good news. He had managed to shorten the length of the spell which was do to wear off at the stroke of midnight. There was bad news as well Daisy was grounded to Avalon for a year and on restriction magic wise. Her mother was pacing the carpet at the foot of her bed still distraught over the day's events.

"Mum would you relax. I don't think that you're a terrible mother. I was angry with you because you were hurting Daddy and still shaken up over my close encounter with the bludger. I strive for perfection because I'll accept nothing less. By choice nothing is being forced on me or any of us for that matter…" Dani stowed her journal away it was three minutes to twelve and her mother wasn't going to gain access to it.

"Your father is going to tan your tush as soon as we change back…"

"Yes I know and ground me for a year…"

"Oh it's going to be far more than just grounding you for a year. Your not going to be returning to pre-Hogwarts instead you will be home schooled by your mother, myself, and a list of highly qualified tutors. You will also be allowed outdoor activities as well including your equestrian lessons and an allotted time for play in the play area. You will also start your ballet lessons with Lilah. To keep you challenged we will include university level courses to the mix and music lessons with your great-grandmother." Harry paused in passing down her sentence. Both she and Hermione had gone rigid and he caught Dani in his arms just before she passed out. Moments later Hermione lay limp and unconscious on Dani's bed.

"That looked very uncomfortable." James and Lily stood in the doorway.

"Yeah I know, but it also means that they changed back to themselves thank Merlin for that." Harry cradled his baby girl in his arms.

"Grit your teeth son and move passed how adorable and innocent she is right now in your arms. She has that spanking coming for skipping our time stream after you clearly told her not to." James could see Harry's resolve faltering, so he gave him a pep talk.

"Yes Dad I know all that, but…" Harry sat down on her bed. "No you're right a few swats to her rear won't hurt her and will show her that I mean what I say."

"The boys are hungry…" Hermione blinked open her eyes and sat up in Dani's bed. "Thank Mab I'm back to being me again…" She was happy to be in her body, but not so happy that her baby was about to get her punishment. "Harry she's learned her lesson…"

"It needs to be done, Mione. This way she never tries something like this again." Harry watched as she slowly awoke and blinked up at him.

"Hi Daddy you left off at music lessons with Great-Grandma Anna…Oh and I know I have a spanking coming too." She was resigned to her fate and stared up into his eyes.

"Let's go James…" Lily tugged on his arm and they vanished.

"I'm going to go feed the boys…" Hermione vanished from the room not wanting to see the punishment carried out.

"I'm sorry that I have to resort to this, but you did earn it by scaring your mother and me out of our minds." Harry placed her over his lap and gave her first spanking before situating her back in his arms for a hug. "I never want to lose you and doing things like that aren't allowed because I could lose you and that would kill me inside." He growled hoarsely as he kissed the top of her head. "Now for the rest of your sentence you will help your mother and I make meals and continue your lessons on flying a broom with me. You asked for a challenge and now you have one." He got her tucked into bed.

"I love you daddy and I promise never to do anything like that again." She hugged him back.

"I love you too baby now go to sleep I'll see you in the morning." He kissed her on the forehead, turned off the light in her room, and left her to her sleep.

--

Harry watched as she tended to their sons and felt like the luckiest man alive to be blessed with all that had been given to him. Fifteen years of on and off hell had been well worth the reward for a job well done.

"Is she all tucked away for the night?" Hermione smiled up at him.

"Yeah, she took her punishment like a trooper not one whimper or tear. Just an I love you Daddy and she'll never do it again…before I tucked her in for the night, she really has changed." Harry raked his fingers through his hair. "She's so much like you were when we met again, but then she's still very much our Dani."

"Well you wanted a challenge again, teaching Dani should more than fit that bill." Hermione burped Rafe on her shoulder. "That's my big boy; now back to sleep like your brother." She crooned softly as she rocked him back to sleep.

"It'll be practice for when we teach at Hogwarts…" Harry looked down at Jamie. "Night little man sleep well love you."

"Harry don't jump ahead of yourself. We survived first year away from home and so will they…no that's not right I did, you needed away from your prison. Hogwarts is their second home, besides that's six years from now, so focus on the now, and not the will be." Hermione got Rafe settled in his crib. "Sleep well love you."

The two of them left their sons to their slumber.

"Focus on the now, huh." Harry pulled her to him for a nice long kiss. "I can do that." He growled between long soul-searching kisses.

"Good because I plan on keeping your mind in the now until morning or the boys page us." Hermione purred back as he swept her up into his arms and carried her to their bed.

"Well then let's not waste valuable time talking…" He and Hermione got lost in each others arms.

--

Chapter 16

A Royal Headache

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim Doctor Who or any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2007


	16. What a Headache

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 16

What a Headache

--

The day before the official Royal weekend wedding and coronation headache is to commence…

--

"I can't believe that we're actually going to sit with the royal families at the wedding of the century." Rose was currently trying on dresses and having trouble choosing the perfect one to wear at an event of this caliber. She stepped out of the bathroom to model her twentieth dress in nearly two hours. This particular dress was a buttery tea length yellow silk with a matching bonnet, and strappy heeled sandals. "I rather fancy this one, so what do you think?"

The Doctor prayed for patience, as he glanced up from reading the second to last installment of Harry and Hermione's autobiography. He was prepared to lie through his teeth if it meant freedom from this beyond boring impromptu fashion show nightmare. The others had been disasters, but this one had Rose's name written all over it. She looked like a vision in the frock and he smiled at her in complete and total approval. "You look breathtaking in that."

"Then this is the one I shall wear. Happy reading I'm gonna go relax in the tub for a while and listen to the music that Rory and Dromi gave me." She blew him a kiss and floated happily back into the bathroom and her dressing area.

Dani appeared beside him. "Hide me. If I have to try on another dress I'll scream." She was dressed in a flowery sundress, with all the accessories to match, her hair was done in a cascade of ringlets that cascaded down her back, and they had even forced her to wear her tiara.

"My, my, aren't we dressed up like a princess." He tapped his finger against his chin. "Hmm now as for your request that's a tough order since your parent's are linked with you. Making you nearly impossible to hide, I really don't relish getting shot with AK, and then having to regenerate. My being just married to Rose she really wouldn't like to break in an entirely new husband."

"I was a good girl and tried on my flower girl dress at least it's white and not flowery like this one is." She wrinkled her little nose in distaste, as she fingered the skirt of her dress. "Grams Elizabeth had this one made for me especially for tonight's rehearsal dinner, so I'll wear this. Nothing says that I have to like it, but I'll wear it."

"_Affirmative, mistress Dani._" K-9 agreed with her.

"Males have it so easy. I mean all you have to wear is a suit big deal. Although, in your case you may have to change your appearance or Torchwood will be prowling about and Daddy detests dealing with them. They like to dissect or research the hell out of what they don't understand, even though they've managed to make it so our world stays secret in exchange for the occasional assistance when they need it, which is constantly. Gwen and Tosh are normal. Ianto cleans up their messes. Owen never met him. You have to be an adult to be around him whatever that means. Captain Jack Harkness, who for the life of me I don't get why everyone sighs when he enters a room. They do have this wicked cool pet Pterodactyl that flies around Cardiff that came out of the rift there. Oh and it's really gross that he covets your hand and keeps it in a jar of honor on his desk. Dad thinks he has, um, move on or abandonment issues. Um and it's really fascinating he get's shot and he just instantly heals instead of regenerating like you." Dani looked up into his gentle hazel brown eyes. "Um, you do know that Jack is your great-grandson. Or is that a mind-blowing bit of news for you that I shouldn't have just impulsively blurted out…" She saw the reaction on his face and in his eyes and felt like kicking herself for her loose tongue.

"Torchwood! What the Hell I took down that atrocity!! How many of those are there!? Pterodactyl! Rift!? Shit I knew I should have gone back to seal that, after I knew that home was back!? He's got my what!? Son of a Bitch when Rose does something she doesn't do it half arse…That piss ante has been beyond holding out information from me. I'm working at U.N.I.T my arse!" The Doctor swore in twenty unknown languages for a full ten minutes.

Her eyes grew as wide as saucers as he continued to throw his tantrum.

"That Casanova is my what?!"

"Um…Nothing forget I said anything… um you need a new look. Let's see if I can provide that without your having to regenerate and stuff." She focused on the Doctors hair and eyes turning his hair into a rich reddish gold and his eyes lion gold in color. "Yes that's so much better and will do nicely."

"Not so fast little one. How did you come up with my being Jack's anything." The Doctor wasn't about to drop the subject.

"I, um, sort of peaked in his head during some ultraboring function that my parents dragged my sisters and me to." She worried the bottom of her lip with her teeth and decided that her shoes were more interesting than looking into his eyes that were beyond emotional at the moment and intensified tenfold by their new eye color.

"Go on…" He growled softly.

"I couldn't figure how a muggle could have such an influence over people. It just didn't fit, so I bent the rules, and peaked to see if there was something more to the Captain than meets the eye. He had uber mental blocks, so it took a while to get around them, but what I discovered opened my eyes. He wasn't muggle at all, not by a long shot. He'd done a big no-no or something so major that he ended up getting some sort of memory wipe. Afterwards he was taken out of his own time and stuck far into the future by the powers that be. Something about being a renegade junior time something or other, boosting the presidents something or other was not going to be tolerated, and they weren't going to have another Doctor on their hands…" She eyed him warily.

He was once again swearing in languages that were out of her universe and had buried his face in his hands.

"I didn't know what that meant at the time, but now I do since you're real and everything. It's really buried in his mind, but he does have some memories about a Grandmother named Susan Campbell and his mother Patience Campbell Harkness. He doesn't have hardly any memory of his father or grandfather, but the three of them were taken to some strange planet when he was a teenager by whom had to be time-lords. That's as far as I got because we had to leave and go home." She felt like maybe confiding that to him was a grievous error on her part, because it was clear that he really didn't like Captain Jack at all. "I'm sorry that I upset you. I've never told anyone that, but figured that you had a right to know…"

"Gobsmacked is more the term sweetie, just give me a minute and I'll be fine. I knew that he had to have done something really deplorable, but boosting Romy's TARDIS. He's lucky that they only erased years of his life and shoved him three millenniums into the future." He took off his specs and massaged the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache threatening to blossom into a migraine. "Gods how dense was I not to clue into all the signs, he knew the inner workings of a TARDIS…"

"Man of mine what in the world is…" Rose walked back into their bedroom dressed in her robe. "Oh no, please tell me that it didn't happen again!" She having noticed that he was now sporting red-gold hair and was holding his head as if in pain jumped to the wrong conclusion that he was regenerating, so she raced to his side.

He snapped his head up to look up at her distraught face. "Rose whatever is that matter? I've a headache is all there's nothing whatsoever for you to be in a panic about." He pulled her down into his arms.

"Your hair and eyes have changed…" She whimpered shakily.

"Um my bad again… You see I kind of sorta cast a Glamour on him to give him a new look. No harm was intended. I mean he's always wanted to be ginger right?" Dani felt like crying, because she'd blundered so badly by confiding what she had to him. "See for yourself." She conjured a mirror in her hands and held it up, so he could see his new look.

"By Rassilon I like it." He rather liked his new look and it brightened his mood enough to ward off his headache.

"You do look rather dashing like that." Rose also liked his new look.

"You're not cross about it?" Dani eyed them warily.

"Cross why whatever for, I love this new look, and the rest was just a little information overload." He kissed her on the nose.

"He's always wanted to be ginger and now his wish has been fulfilled." Rose smiled at her.

"Drat Mum's found me." Dani pouted. "She's gonna see you and go mental."

Hermione appeared in their room. "Dani hiding in here won't…" She scowled when she saw what had been done to The Doctor's hair. "Tell me that you did not glamour his hair and eyes!" She picked up her daughter and glared down into her eyes.

"It's his new look. Rose is a cross between Reinette and her original self so she'll be fine, but he was the image of grandpa and another famous star. I figured that wasn't good, so I gave him a new look." Dani pouted up at her mother.

"It's quite all right Hermione. I love my new look." He winked at Dani.

"That's splendid to hear, now if you'll excuse me this little miss and I have to go show her Daddy how pretty she looks." Hermione forced herself to smile at the two of them.

"Oh goodie, can't wait…" Dani sighed in defeat as they vanished from the room.

--

Rose's super phone rang. She glanced down at who was calling because it was only Jack she answered it. "The answer is no. The two of us are courting each other and wish to be left alone." She glared at the image of the strikingly handsome man on the screen.

"Rose is that you? You regenerated…not that it's a bad thing you're even more of a knock out than you were before." Finally her last words dawned on him and he grinned wickedly at her. "We're courting each other? So you and Doc finally gave into that old black magic, huh."

Rose blushed crimson. "Dying twice makes one see things more clearly…the two of us are on holiday for the next fifty years or so. Whatever situation you've gotten yourself into will just have to be handled by you and your team at…" She shot the Doctor a weary look.

"Go ahead love say Torchwood I know all about it." The Doctor grumbled.

"It's not like that at all…" He shot her a hurt look. "Jackie knows your back and won't leave well enough alone. Rosie is at a loss about what to do, as is Mickey. We came across a device and Mickey and Pete Tyler came through the portal from the other dimension. Not wanting a disaster like last time, we destroyed it immediately after finding out its use." Jack added hastily then waited for the two of them to go mental.

The Doctor reined in his temper, as he focused on Jack's image on the screen. It was beyond obvious now the likenesses were too similar. He however pushed that aside and dealt with the situation at hand. "Pete Tyler died in this timeline, but Mickey was only listed as missing, and no one would question his sudden return to this time."

"I'm not an idiot you know and the rift is not causing anything that I can't handle. I didn't tell you about Torchwood Three, because I knew that you would go mental about it, and go and do something rash like take down two, and four like you did to one. I do know the laws of time and quickly thought of a solution to that particular time paradox in the making. He was given a new identity that being Patrick Tyler from Cardiff. His energy drink is a smash hit and good for you to boot. We have him all set up and he's adjusted fantastically well. He's been here for four years, arriving just after your last visit. He and Jackie are married and she was deliriously content that was until she sensed your arrival three weeks ago…" Jack filled them both in on what was up.

"Mickey's all right isn't he?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, he's fine…"

"I take it that Rosie and Mickey hit it off? He had better not be working for you." The Doctor frowned not relishing how Rose would react to such a thing.

"Yeah, you could say that, only they're married, and he works for Patrick not me." He decided that a change of subject was in order. "So where are you two anyway? You're off our radar and that ain't possible."

"I'm happy for him and for her…Mum has what she's always wanted a tidy little family…" Rose swallowed the bitterness welling up in her throat and blinked back tears that were burning in her eyes.

"HOLLY SHIT!! HE REALLY DOES EXIST!!" Four voices exclaimed.

"Will you four shove off, this is a private call! Go interrogate the Tronian that came through the rift last night!" Jack snarled.

"Oi the hand is giving ya the finger again! What's with that thing anyway is it his?!" Owen, always the cheeky git, had to comment on that.

"WILL YOU SHUT IT BEFORE YOU GET ME KILLED!!" Jack roared at him.

"Not possible from what I've heard, but the thought did come to mind." The Doctor muttered under his breath.

"Who the hell told you that?! Its need to know and only one other person knows about that!" Jack had the urge to throttle his partner in crime.

"Oi your immortal!? That's your big secret!" Tosh and Owen exclaimed.

"Secret I've known that for ages." Ianto smirked.

"GWEN!!"

"What?! I didn't say anything I swear!!" Gwen exclaimed.

"WOULD YOU IDIOTS KILL EACH OTHER LATER YOU ARE UPSETTING ROSE!! BUTTON IT OR I WILL PERSONALLY END YOU LOT AND BE DONE WITH IT!!" The Doctor roared. "I'M THE GOD OF TIME AND I CAN BLOODY WELL DO IT TOO!!"

"Thanks a lot you idiots there goes our base!! Now you four know what happened to Torchwood ONE!!" Jack felt like crying.

"You mean it's HIM?!"

"Do I have to shoot the four of you?! Get back to work?! You've more than done enough damage!"

The four of them wisely signed off.

"Or better yet I'll just send Romy there to do it for me!" The Doctor snarled.

"Romy…Romy…why the hell does that ring a bell…" Jack scowled.

"It's short for Lady Romana, Madame President of New Gallifrey. The rest you can figure out for yourself! We're visiting family, who are well above even Torchwood's radar." The Doctor wasn't pleased that he had upset Rose. "Jackie made her choice and this is upsetting my Rose. Tell them all that we're fine and that will have to do. Now as for the rest, you had better not be doing anything mad-scientist with my hand. You and I will talk about the future of Torchwood after this weekend is over and my temper has cooled."

"You're in the Wizarding World. No wonder you're off our radar that's off-limits even to us. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and have that chat now?" Jack whistled under his breath getting to them was going to take some political juggling.

"Tell mum that I'll call her. Give Mickey our love…We'll be in touch." Rose ended the call by turning off her phone before he could say anything else.

"He's even training his own crew…the world is doomed…now I understand why Romy gave in so easily to my terms." The Doctor muttered under his breath.

"Stop being a baby. He's harmless and finally found his nitch. It's not fair she get's everything. Mum, Dad, even Mickey…" Rose forced those gloomy thoughts aside. "No. I won't get all teary about it, because I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. That life bored me to tears, until you came into my life, and ignited a spark in me that I didn't even know existed. My love for you is infinite. You complete me as I complete you." She found herself in a loving embrace.

"Eternity is nothing as long as I have you." He sealed that with a passionate kiss.

--

Harry smiled warmly at his girls. "You'll be outshining the brides at dinner tonight."

"Our Dani glamoured the Doctor's hair and eyes, a little while ago," Hermione arched a brow at him.

"He needed a new look, so I provided him with what he's always longed for ginger colored hair and golden eyes just sort of fit with that." Dani rolled her eyes at them.

"Didn't Daddy put you on magical restriction?" Ally frowned.

"I'm grounded, magic had nothing to do with it, and none of us wish to see Torchwood at the wedding and coronation…now do we." Dani narrowed her eyes at her sister.

"She's right him not changing his appearance would have caused problems." Mia agreed with what Dani had done.

"Don't actors and actresses attend events like this? I would think the actor that plays him would be floored to see himself other than Uncle James of course. I mean he's used to that." Daphne, who they also saw as one of their own, sounded off her take on the matter.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm talking about, so I'm not in the wrong. Besides, he loves his new look and so does Rose. Now what he needs is a name to go with his new look other than John Smith that's just to cliché to me." Dani brainstormed the problem.

"We'll let the two of them decide on an alias. Now let's talk about you using that particular charm on other people." Harry set her on his lap.

"It's harmless and temporary."

"For those that know how to use it yes, but one misstep while casting it the effect say on a person's hair or eyes can be permanent." Hermione corrected her.

"Yes, I know all that, but I never flubbed it before."

"You were in my body and now you aren't that in itself changes things. Clothing is one thing, a hairstyle, or make-up not a problem, but changing someone's physical appearance is more complex." Hermione sighed in frustration.

"I did exactly what I remember doing while I was you, so it should be fine. I mean I made myself look like Rose and successfully changed back, so no worries." Dani like her mother hated messing up a spell.

"So you did that on your trip did you?" Harry frowned.

"Yes it was easier to watch that way." Dani eyed him warily and tried to wriggle out of his arms.

"No more using glamours on anyone and that includes yourself." Harry turned her chin with his finger, so she was looking up at him. "Do we have an understanding young lady?"

"Yes Daddy." Dani nodded.

"I mean it or on magical restriction you will be." Harry made himself clear.

Yeah, I got it no need to add threats to the mix." Dani sighed in defeat.

"Good now go read those books that Uncle Albus gave you to read until we're ready to head out." Harry kissed her on the nose and then set her on her feet.

"Let's go Dani. You can read them while I look over my own." Daphne smiled at her and the two of them left.

"We'll join you." Ally and Mia rarely let her out of their sight these days and followed the two of them.

--

"Changed or not she's still very much our mischievous little munchkin." Hermione was pulled down into his arms.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Harry was about to kiss her when his mobile rang in his pocket. "I thought that I shut that thing off…" He fished his phone out of his pocket. "What the hell do you want? I'm busy!" He flipped it open and snarled at the image on the screen.

"A thousand pardons your highness, but this couldn't be helped." Jack, as Harry was in a mood, tried a soothing tactic.

"The answer is no." Harry narrowed his eyes at the annoying image on the screen.

"What do you want Captain Harkness?" Hermione growled.

"Nothing horrific is occurring if that's what you both are thinking. I just need a little intel." Jack answered her in a hurt tone.

"Intel on what?" Harry frowned.

"No on who actually," Jack couldn't help but smirk. "I'm trying to find two individuals that are holidaying in your kingdom."

"Do I have to remind you that your jurisdiction is strictly muggle?"

"Yes, I know that, but these two are both, uh, half human…"

"We're not technically classified as mortal or muggle either, so in that case the two of them are both welcome to enjoy our kingdom in peace." Hermione arched a single brow at him daring him to counter her statement.

"These two are class five level beings, so it's imperative that I know their location."

"I'd say your out of luck if the time-travelers don't wish to be found leave them be." Harry shot that into play.

"Not once did I say the two were time-travelers." Jack scowled this really made things beyond complicated. "The two of them are with you aren't they?"

"Good-bye Captain." Harry shut off his phone. "Class five my arse…" He went back to focusing on kissing his wife.

Not even five minutes later.

:Daddy phone!: Dani paged them.

"Persistent pain in the backside isn't he." Hermione smirked when Harry continue to swear for a full minute in parseltounge.

:Who's on the phone, baby?: Harry reined in his temper. "He'll be sporting donkey ears and a tail or worse if he doesn't take the hint."

:It's Captain Jack. Is he looking for Aunt Rose and Uncle Doc?: Dani asked.

:Evidently sweetie, but that's not going to happen.: Harry growled.

:I wouldn't really recommend it, because I told Uncle Doc something a while ago, and I'm still not sure how he's handling it.: Dani confided to her Dad.

:Danielle you didn't go and tell him that did you!: Harry was well aware of her little jaunt into Jack's mind and his relation to the Doctor.

:Um, yeah, sort of I'm sorry.: Dani still had Jack on hold. :I'll put him through to the den.:

Hermione used the remote to activate the screen in the Den. "Look Captain unless your two travelers go by the names Lord John and Lady Renee Galloway our resident newlyweds going on a week or is it two now?" She glanced up at Harry.

"Two weeks give or take." Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"Married!? Please tell me that you're just saying that to get a rise out of me…" Jack groaned this was just getting dodgier by the second.

"Why on earth would we do that? If you must know it was Merlin himself who officiated the wedding ceremony." Hermione smiled.

"They told me courting! Not once did either of them say married!" Jack was beyond upset over this latest bit of news. "I died for their sorry asses! Hell they left me stranded! The least they could have done is invite me to their wedding! Jackie is gonna go off the deep-end when I tell her this. She's on the warpath already as it is, like I needed this headache!"

"Do I have to remind you that you bloody well nearly ended everything in the universe not to mention the time stream not once, but several times and that Rose in all essence died because of one of those incidents?! Now as for her mother, well, she already has her copy of Rose and she'll just have to be happy with her." Hermione stated coolly.

"Let me get this straight. You called her mobile, but they weren't big on giving you any details, so you called me. Sorry to disappoint you, but the two of them are family which makes them off-limits to you. Rose is a cousin of Hermione's." Harry growled.

"Cousin?"

"Yes, she's a cousin so many times removed on the french side of mum's family tree and on the English side of my Dad's or something like it anyway…" Hermione nodded.

"Jack why is it so difficult to wait for them to come to you?"

"Let's see sounds as if the two of them are here for the long-haul. They'll need identification if they're going to want to travel freely around the globe and psychic paper isn't going to cut it." Jack was already forming a plan in his mind. "That's my specialty. I'll have it ready in an hour or so." Jack ended the call.

"Let's hope the two of them like their new identities." Harry rested his forehead against hers.

"John is what he uses as an alias. Besides, the Doctor and John Smith does sound rather insipid. Renee seems to fit Rose. Jack will come up with Renee Rosalyn Galloway for Rose and most likely Doctor Jonathan Ulysses Rohan Galloway that's if he knows about his history. Jack's sneaky like that." Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

--

True to his word Jack used the Prime Ministers Floo fireplace to travel to the fireplace at Sanctuary. "Hello girls." He brushed himself off, as he smiled his thousand watt smile at Ally, Mia, Daph, and Dani, who were reading in the library.

"Hi Captain." Ally and Mia sighed dreamily.

"Now girls call me Uncle Jack." He winked at them and the two giggled shyly.

"The two in question are both unavailable and they've got K-9 guarding their suite." Dani unaffected by his charms told him coolly.

"You work with my Daddy don't you?" Daphne frowned at the vaguely familiar man. "I'm Daphne Cooper my Daddy's Dr. Timothy Cooper."

"What a clever little girl you are, yes I am a colleague of your father's, and a friend of the Doctor and Rose. I would never harm a hair on her head. She saved my skin and for that I am indebted to her for life." Jack smiled warmly at Daph and then locked gazes with Dani. "I've brought all the necessary documents and items that they'll need to get around the muggle world." He pointed to the leather satchel that he was holding.

"The two of them are happy and seeing her Mum will make her all melancholy again." Dani narrowed her eyes at him.

"No matter how much Rose has changed the fact remains that she's still her baby and hasn't seen her in ages. Her mother obsessed over vampires and Rose a few weeks ago, going as far as to have Mickey give me a ring, since Rose had yet to activate her phone again." Jack sat down on the edge of the coffee table, so he was eye level with her.

"She got badly injured by a vampire that's why she regenerated and why the two of them are taking a long holiday. He's an old friend of the family going back to the times of Camelot and she's a cousin so many times removed." Dani, because he wasn't treating her like a little kid, decided to confide that much to him. "Rose doesn't like her mother all that much for obvious reasons and that's why the phone's been out of order."

"Yes, I realize that and her mother has regretted her actions since that day. You see it was a very stressful time for her…" Jack tried to get her to see both sides.

"You really do take after him a lot…" Dani eyed him thoughtfully.

"Who's that sweetie?" Jack asked curiously.

"I mean you have similar mannerisms, the same temper, and your intelligence mirrors his too." Dani voiced her observations aloud.

"By him you aren't referring to the Doctor are you?" Jack was puzzled by her comparing him to someone he admired and respected beyond measure.

"Well, you never know he could very well be your great-great granddad or something. I mean you don't have any memory about things do to whatever it was that you did. They could have given you an entirely new identity as a punishment for your serious lack of judgment or something like that." Dani was carefully dancing around telling him the truth of his origins.

"Dani did you go peaking around in his head without premission?" Ally scowled at her sister.

"Yes Dani, did you?" Mia shot her a look.

"Peaked?" Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"She tends to pick a subject when we go to boring functions and then takes a stroll through their minds at her leisure." Ally glared at her sister.

"I only do that when I find someone who interests me or when there's something that I find intriguing about them. I mean you have such an influence over people and I wished to find out if there was more to you than you were letting on, so I peaked." Dani admitted to him her face flushed crimson.

"You managed to get around the impenetrable blocks that were put up in my mind?" Jack eyed her in disbelief.

"It took a while, but yeah I did. You see you still have shadow memories of your past in your inner subconsciousness. Just bits and pieces mind you, but it was more than enough for me to piece together all the clues." Dani nodded. "They wiped your mind and those who loved you were divested of any memory of your existence, then put in a new identity, forced you to regenerate, and stuck you way into the future. That's way harsh for boosting the high president's TARDIS, but then those Time-lords and Lady's are a high-strung lot so no big surprise there. Lady Romana's a nice lady, so you must have totaled her TARDIS or you boosted it with her still inside."

"Sweetie, you made my day by solving that unfathomable puzzle for me." Jack was beyond happy to finally find out what it was that had happened to him and that he hadn't killed anyone or anything like that. "Now as for the rest, well, that doesn't make me related to the Doctor or anything like that. It just makes me…"

"I'm not finished yet." Dani cut him off. "There were two names as well Susan Foreman Campbell and her daughter Patience Harkness and her teenage son… that would be you, were taken to a planet by the time-lords why no clue. Oh and something about you being a renegade junior-time something or other and they weren't going to have another Doctor on their hands."

"I knew that I was right!" Rose was standing in the doorway. "I knew there had to be some sort of connection between the two of you. He knew so much about a TARDIS. I met your granddaughter Susan and great-granddaughter Patience when we were on Gallifrey. Both of them lovely people whose husbands had died tragic deaths and as far as they know Patience son Jonathan Jackson died in an accident with his father at the age of fourteen. That would make Jack your great-great grandson and you have to be nice to him now." Her eyes danced with mischief as she grinned up at him.

"Romana and I are going to have words." He muttered under his breath. "I haven't been harsh to him in anyway, unless you count his blunder four years ago that got you killed. Otherwise, I have no hard feelings besides the urge to close down Torchwood for good." He got in Jack's face.

"I didn't have a clue what it was and neither did you, so don't lay all the blame on me. After all, you're suppose to be all seeing and all knowing the great Doctor Who and the artifact was from Gallifrey your home turf. If anything it was both our faults that Rose got 'killed' she took the shot meant for you." Jack shot back.

"Time-out both of you!" Rose got between the two of them. "I've had it with this argument as I'm very much alive and clearly not dead or six feet under. Now the two of you are family and will let bygones be bygones and be done with it. He and you got along fabulously before and you will get along that way again. We saved the universe together three times that took complete and total confidence and trust in each other or did the two of you forget that. Not to mention that he helped you fix the TARDIS or did you forget that in your old age?"

The Doctor's face flushed crimson with temper and chagrin. "I recall him flirting with me a hell of a lot more than he was fixing the TARDIS, but your right it's water under the bridge. So Jack do you still flirt or shag with everything that moves or did you finally choose a gender to focus on?" He threw that zinger into the mix.

Four sets of eyes widened and curiously stared over at Jack.

Jack was the one to flush crimson now.

"Look can we declare a truce before those four innocent minds are corrupted by any more of your verbal sparing!" Rose punched the Doctor in the gut. :Now as for you. Did it ever once occur to you that they made him the way he is to avoid his getting into trouble again? It could be and I can't believe that I'm saying this. That maybe just maybe it was his trying to impress the females that got him in the trouble that caused him to be banished and then mind wiped.: She hissed at him.

:Bloody hell woman that hurt.: He glowered down at her then focused on the others. "Fine sorry that was below the belt and won't happen again. Sorry girls my temper got the best of me." He held out his hand in peace offering to Jack. "The two of us will call a truce."

"Look I know that you've been put through the wringer again and it's only been a few weeks since it happened so yeah truce." Jack shook his hand. "And as for that other remark the females tend to get me up to my neck in trouble, so that's why I tend to avoid those situations. Guys are more predictable, easier to read, and a hell of a lot less complicated."

"Lovely now that we have that taken care of what brings you to Sanctuary?" Rose gave him a hug.

"I brought gifts to aid the two of you during your time here on Earth." Jack started to hand the Doctor the leather case, but Rose took it from him instead.

"Passports, driver's licenses, a hefty bank account…" She took out the Drivers licenses and read the names on them. "Lady Renee Rosalyn Jacqueline and Lord Doctor Jonathan Ulysses Rohan Galloway…"

"I couldn't go with Gallifrey too obvious. John Smith too boring and Pendragon's taken surname wise. Renee for something that Mickey confided to me about his first trip with the two of you in the TARDIS. Rosalyn obviously stands for Rose and Jacqueline is to remind you that everyone makes mistakes especially your mother." Jack explained his reasoning for his aliases for them.

"Why Ulysses…Rohan not a bad choice, but why the first?" The Doctor frowned down at his credentials. It was a shock to see his father's name combined with his own.

"Your journeys remind me of the epics and it fit somehow." Jack just felt the name and the Doctor went hand in hand.

"It was my father's name." He growled softly.

"Well then there you have it. Anyway you're a renowned physicist that specializes in clean energy. I figured since Tim is here that you'd end up fascinated by his work. Besides, you're a jack of all trades and can fit anywhere, so I put you where I knew you'd be happiest."

"What's this?" The Doctor held up a black credit and debit card and examined it.

"Yes shopping and not on a budget either." Rose beamed in delight. "Unlimited currency man of mine…" She kissed him soundly on the mouth.

"Torchwood is the silent backer of the Vita-lite franchise, so it's only fitting that it goes to his daughter and her new husband." Jack cleared his throat to get their attention now that he knew the Doctor and he were related this wasn't as amusing anymore to him, it was like watching ones parents kiss. "Sky's the limit you two deserve it."

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing in my home!?" Harry was not pleased to see Jack and with a look had pinned him to the ceiling.

"Now Lion he brought them their new credentials just as he promised, so there is no need for you to AK him for trespassing." Hermione kissed him on the cheek.

"Holly hell, you really are in a mood today!" Jack eyed Harry warily.

"Royal circuses tend to bring the worst out in me." Harry set him back down on his feet.

"Everything is all set, so there won't be any mishaps this weekend." Jack counted himself lucky that Hermione and the girls were in the room otherwise he'd have been in traction.

"Captain, our world can easily outsmart anything you can come up with. In this case a simple incantation would have sufficed. I will personally make certain that you didn't miss a step and cement their new identities in the minds of those other than family and friends." Harry couldn't help but smirk, because Jack was dumbfounded.

"Now lion it seems as though Jack is the Doctor's great-great Grandson so be nice to him." Hermione cuddled up against him.

"Yes your right I'll be nice." Harry sighed in resignation.

--

Rose's mobile rang and everyone arched a brow at her.

"What? It's habit to carry it with me. It's my own sonic screwdriver of sorts." Rose fished it out of her skirt pocket and looked at the text or who was calling. She narrowed her eyes at Jack. "I said that I would call her."

"Yes I know, but the thing is that I haven't had a chance to call her just yet, so that's Jackie being Jackie." Jack sighed in defeat.

"I'll answer it." The Doctor gently took the phone from her and answered it. "Hello Jackie so nice of you to call. Rose is unavailable now, but I'll tell her you called."

"What happened to my baby?! You're different again! I demand to speak to my daughter!" Jackie screeched at him in fury.

The Doctor's temper snapped. "You demand?! I don't give a tinker's damn what you want! You made your choice four of your Earth years ago! Your fragile mind couldn't accept that Rose, even though changed in physical form, was still your Rose! I gave you your peace of mind, so don't you dare make demands that you lost the right to make years ago! She is fragile right now and you sure as hell aren't going to get within ten feet of her! Be happy with Rosie, Mickey, and Pete!"

"How dare you say that to me?! You have no right to keep my baby from me! She's my daughter!" Jackie screeched back.

"She's my wife, now good day to you!" The Doctor hung up on her. "By Rassilon that woman can be so maddening that all I want to do is throttle her!"

The phone in his hand rang again this time it was Mickey.

"WHAT?!" He roared into the speaker of the phone his golden eyes blazed with leashed power.

"Easy there Doctor. Jackie is going mental and Rosie is upset as is uh…"

"Pete, no it's Patrick now isn't it! Well good for them, because I could careless! The very thought of that woman being f…." He tried to snarl out the word family. "Her being re….." He tried again this time the word related, but couldn't bring himself to say either word.

"Here give me that before you crush it in your fist." Rose pried her phone out of his hand. "Hello Mickey congratulations on your marriage to my copy…No sorry that was crass of me…Rosie her name is Rosie." Rose kept her tone neutral and regally cool.

"Rose? Is that you!?" The image of Mickey stared gobsmacked at her.

"I had a confrontation with a vampiree king and lost, so my sexy copper skinned amazon form got changed to a newer regal me." She answered coolly.

"You look like…like…" Mickey continued to sputter and stare.

"Well, I should since she's my many-great-Gran or something like that so far back that it matters not anymore. I'm happy Mickey…" Rose managed to smile at him then her mother wrestled the phone away and the smile melted away to an icy coolness. "Hello mother you look well."

"Rose?" Jackie also stared at this new version of her daughter.

"My husband tends to be overprotective of me these days, but then I put him through the mental wringer a few weeks ago, so he can hover all he likes. What do you want mother?"

"You're my baby…I've missed you…had dreams about you being hurt…" Jackie burst into tears.

"Shelve the hysterics! You've got my copy to fuss over and another Pete Tyler not to mention Mickey for a son-in-law! You should be all smiles, since Vita-lite is a smashing success. I died four years ago. Your baby girl is not who I am anymore be happy with Rosie, Mickey, and Pete." Her tone was almost cruel.

"That's not true you're still my Rose!" Jackie felt like she'd stabbed her straight through the heart.

"Look I'm sorry if you had some bad dreams about me. I'm fine. Better than fine I'm married to my other half, my destiny. I'm where I've always been destined to be and you have your tidy little family like you always wanted. You're so very right what you said to me all those years ago. I'm not Rose Tyler anymore. Good-bye mother, again sorry to have inconvenienced you in any way. It won't happen again." Rose blinked back heart wrenching tears of anger and sorrow.

"Rose I was wrong. Please don't shut me out like this. I'm your mum. You've shut me out of the happiest day of your life…" Jackie sobbed out her plea.

"I shared it with my new friends and family, besides you got to marry off Rosie. I'll bet that was a grand affair. Look I'm running late for the Four Hearts rehearsal dinner at Buckingham Palace. My schedule these days is booked solid. Focus on Rosie and your new husband and forget about me. After all I died remember. Good-bye mother have a wonderful life." Rose handed the phone back to the Doctor and ran from the library in tears.

"Go after her. I shall handle this." Hermione took the phone from him.

"Make her breakout in hives and pustules." The Doctor snarled darkly before going off to comfort his love.

"There is a phrase Mrs. Tyler. I believe it goes like this. You can't have your cake and eat it too. You made your choice years ago by choosing a copy over your own flesh and blood and she saw this as a permanent separation between her former life and the one she's living now." Hermione glared at the woman on the tiny screen.

"How would you know? Where's my daughter?! Who are you to say those things to me!" Jackie narrowed her eyes at her.

"I'm crowned Princess Hermione Pendragon and you will address me as Her Royal Highness. The two of them arrived at my home in need of a holiday. They've been here since the end of July and have been embraced by our family and friends, as they are regardless of their differences or origins. My girls and twins see them as an honorary Aunt and Uncle and Harry and I see them as family as well." Hermione focused on making her miserable by casting a few choice jinxes on her person.

Harry took the phone from Hermione. "We don't appreciate having members of our family hounded and badgered by anyone. Nor do I tolerate my family being brought to tears, regardless of whether it's a delusional parent or not! The way I see it is this. You made your choice four years ago and you'll have to live with the consequences of your actions for the rest of your days. You disguarded the best thing that you were ever privileged to have and now you're paying the ultimate price. We're late for my older sisters and soon to be brothers- in-laws rehearsal dinner. Good day to you and do calm down you seen to be breaking out in hives." He ended the call by shutting off the phone and then pocketed it in his suit jacket.

"Handle her Jack or I will and it will be far worse than a rash." Hermione growled.

"I'll do my best, but Jackie is ten times worse than anything they depict on the Telly." Jack felt a migraine beginning to form between his eyes.

"Well off you go then." Harry with a mere wave of his hand sent him back to Torchwood.

--

(Later that night at the Palace.)

Dani walked over to her Uncles and was immediately scooped up into Williams's arms.

"You look troubled Little Bit." He kissed her on the nose. "What's wrong?"

"Yes sweetie, tell us all about it." Henry kissed the top of her head.

"I never realized how lucky I am to have a mother that loves me flaws and all." Dani sighed heavily.

"We all do baby. Now what brought this up all of a sudden?" Wills asked gently.

"Aunt Rose's mother called her and made her cry. It was like her mum couldn't see beyond her own selfish needs. Mummy is never like that…I've never met anyone like that." Dani wrinkled her nose in disapproval. "Mummy and Daddy even told her off, but I bet that didn't even faze her at all."

"So that's why Rose is so quiet and why he's being so protective of her tonight." Henry nodded at the two in question chatting with Rory and Dromi.

"She's married to Patrick Tyler the cousin of her deceased husband or something like that." Dani nodded.

"The sports and Health drink tycoon as in Vita-lite?" Wills eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Wasn't he on the corporate invite list?" Henry shot his brother a worried look.

"Yes, he gives generously to the Foundation, but I've never met his wife. He's a genuinely nice fellow who adores his wife, daughter, and stepdaughter." Wills kept his demeanor casual, even though a part of him was trying to access the potential disaster in the making.

"Not to worry, Uncle Wills. Captain Harkness was ordered by Mummy to handle her and he's terrified of Uncle Doc, Daddy, and Mummy's wrath. Not to mention she's Lady Renee Galloway now, so it'll be all right." Dani kissed his cheek.

"What'll be all right?" Harry joined them.

"Nothing Daddy," Dani smiled at her father. "They're just nervous about tomorrow is all."

"You invited Patrick Tyler didn't you?" Harry read between the lines.

"Yes, but it was months ago." Wills nodded.

"We'll seat them faraway from the family and you'll be fine. If anyone tries to disturb Rose we'll have them escorted back to their pew. Jack already has his orders, so let the Captain be her baby-sitter and be done with it." Harry had already chatted with security and it was all arranged. "No worries big brothers. I've got it covered nothing is going to ruin your big day tomorrow."

"Rory just snuck a pickle into the chocolate fountain." Wills handed Dani to Harry, so he could make a discreet exit to the bathroom.

"Oh gods, so did Dromi." Henry also took his leave.

"I hope, those two don't do that during the ceremony or the coronation." The Doctor chuckled.

"Rory and Dromi are starving. The menu lacked sustenance, so of course the two of them are sneaking snacks. It's no wonder no one gains weight. I mean the food portions are so small that they couldn't if they wanted to." Rose nibbled on a tart. "The desserts are fantastic though."

"The members of the press saw their snack and then big brothers exits right after, so the cat just may be out of the bag." Hermione frowned, as she placed an arm around Harry's waist.

"Dad and Uncle Andrew are conversing on strategy as we speak, so the four of them may just have to announce their joyous news to everyone earlier than they planned." Harry sipped his Avalonian elderberry wine.

:The little ones might want some recognition, since they happen to be the only secrets in the room.: The Doctor downed his own wine. "Looks like."

:The babies are making their daddies pay for not sharing them with the whole bloomin world? Merlin's beard, tomorrow will be a complete and total disaster then.: Harry groaned. "Then they'll go with having the double wedding tomorrow and the coronation on Sunday that's plan B." Harry liked plan B, it was less stress on his sisters.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we just got all the little ones settled in the family wing sans one." Donavan and Bree walked over to them.

"It's bedtime for you sweetie." Harry kissed Dani on the forehead and handed her to Donavan.

"But it's about to go from deadly dull to remotely interesting." Dani pouted.

"Night angel, sweet dreams," Hermione kissed her on the top of her head.

"Being small stinks," Dani sulked, as her Aunt and future Uncle carried her out of the party and up to bed.

"Being big ain't a picnic either." Wills moaned, as he nursed a champagne flute of 7-up, willing his stomach to cool it.

"You can say that again." Henry was nursing his own lemon lime drink.

"Times up boys your secret has been blown sky-high." James and Andrew told the two of them.

"The girls are snacking on chocolate…" Andrew started to say pickles and his son's bolted from the room.

"Yeah, that's twice and the girls are just glowing with good health." James waved at his wife and daughters currently chatting with Sara and Elizabeth.

Eugenia and Beatrice were giggling and pointing at the doorway where their brothers had bolted from the party.

"Harry's right you should have the wedding as scheduled and the coronation on Sunday. Clearly the little ones in question aren't loving all the stress." The Doctor suggested.

"I'll announce that after we break the news about the little ones." Andrew was in complete agreement.

"The less stress the less likely that they will pay homage to the loo all-day tomorrow." Hermione nodded.

"They'll only calm down when they're happy and it's obvious the four of them are not happy with their fathers." Harry smiled at his big sisters. "Enjoying you snack are we? The press is eating it up like candy and Wills and Henry are worshipping the loo."

"We'll tell them our news and then they'll mind themselves for a while." Rory worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Yes, that way we don't start off our official marriages with a lie." Dromi nodded.

"Please stick with strawberries or cheese anything but pickles." Wills rested his chin on Rory's shoulder.

"It's like the little ones are mad at us, but why?" Henry pulled Dromi into his arms.

"You don't want them enough to brag to everyone that their existence is indeed real. To put it bluntly you hurt their feelings." The Doctor answered his question.

"That and stress on Rory and Dromi doesn't help matters any." Lily sighed.

"Dad we're doing the coronation on Sunday." Wills went into protective mode major.

"Yes son, we know. Do you wish to tell them the news or would you rather that James and I handled everything?" Andrew put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We'll take it from here." Henry sighed resigned to his fate with Dromi cradled in his arms.

"Yes…" Rory yawned sleepily. "We will…" Wills swept her up into his arms.

"It's our news…" Dromi was also sleepy. "We should be the ones to announce it."

"Then it's off to bed for both of you." Wills and Henry kissed their brides on their foreheads.

"They make you sick and us sleepy or crave things." The girls snuggled closer to them.

"We'll take care of it boys. You get my girls settled for the night." James could have cared less about the press, his girls were priority.

"But…" Rory and Dromi protested sleepily.

"Not another word the two of you are calling it a night." Lily gave the two of them a look.

"See you in the morning." Wills was in full agreement.

"Yes tomorrow is going to be a hell of a long day." Henry was ready to call it a night and hold his family for a while.

"Oh what the hell everyone's staring at us, so I might as well just bite the bullet." Wills decided to make the announcement himself and turned to face everyone. "We've been secretly married since Christmas and the two of us are happy to announce that both Katherine Aurora and Andromeda Marie are expecting little miracles of our own. We are beyond ecstatic about this and have had the privilege of keeping it a secret for nearly a month. Our loves cravings triggered Harry and my sympathetic reaction twice tonight and our two angels are tuckered out from their long day. The wedding will continue as scheduled, but the coronation will be held on Sunday. That alternative has always been in the works and separating the two ceremonies will be easier on my Rory and our little one." Wills tolerated the flashes going off and the glare of all the media lights.

"Both our girls are in glorious health and so are our little ones that we'll be welcoming next spring. Now if all of you will excuse us we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and we bid you goodnight." Henry ended the impromptu chat and the two of them carried their girls to their private apartments leaving everyone else to answer a million questions.

--

"Just one or twins?" Someone shouted.

"I don't have an answer to that, it's too soon to even make an assumption like that, but both would be joyous additions to our families." Andrew smiled.

"When's the due date?"

"Spring." James answered.

"It would be a lovely treat if they shared my birthday with me." Elizabeth looked very much the happy great-grandma-to-be.

"That it would mum," Andrew kissed her cheek.

"It's been a long eventful evening and all of us have a big day tomorrow. So to our guests safe journey home, to our family and friends it's time to adjourn to the family wing of the Palace and to the members of the press have fun making your deadline." James called it a night and the press scurried off to upload their stories for their various establishments.

The guests wished them all best wishes on the little ones and went on their way to waiting limo's, Bentleys, and what have you leaving the family to finally relax.

"I will see you in the morning." Elizabeth called it a night and left the room.

"Yes goodnight." Bea and Eugenia also set off to bed.

"Oh before I forget. Patrick Tyler has an invite tomorrow, but I've got it all set so your mother won't cause a scene." Harry told the Doctor and Rose. "Jack's her shadow. Night everyone the boys need us and I believe this is yours." Harry gave her back her phone before he and Hermione left to go tend to their boys.

"I've fifty missed messages from Jack and half that from P. Tyler." Rose turned on her phone to check her messages.

"You would think they'd have the common sense and take a hint. You saved Tyler's life and now he wants a favor not bloody likely. Now as for Jack, well, he's probably just checking on you like any concerned friend or great-great-grandson of mine should." He pocketed the phone in his suit jacket, after changing the number on it with his sonic screwdriver. "That takes care of that rubbish."

"My phone's useless now." Rose pouted.

"No love. Mickey, Jack, and all of our wizarding family have the new number. I like to multitask whenever possible." He pulled her into his arms for a kiss.

"I love you so much for being my protector." She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled lovingly up at him. "Mum hit a nerve that's all and I shall be fine tomorrow."

"Wouldn't Victoria be livid to know that we're spending the weekend at the Palace and are like next of kin to her legacy?" He grinned wickedly down at her.

"She would not be amused." Rose's giggle was smothered by his kiss as he swept her up into his arms and carried her out of the lavish ballroom where they had set up the after dinner party.

Andrew gaped at James in disbelief. "Were they talking about Queen Victoria?"

"It seemed that way didn't it." James chuckled.

"Then they really are who they claim?" Sarah asked fascinated at the very idea of two time-lords holidaying in their family circle.

"I went to the barn and saw no sign of a police box." Andrew frowned.

"Romana forced him to reactivate the TARDIS'S chameleon circuit, so it's parked in the stall with the broken latch sign on it." Lily smirked.

"He sulked about it until First-gramps told him to grow some and then married him and Rose that evening…after that he was all smiles again." James grinned wickedly.

"That more than explains why Wills nearly instantly wolfed out when he was attacked by Greyback. He had it running through his veins and never even knew it." Sirius growled.

"He really does have the knack of creating time paradoxes in short spans of time doesn't he?" Jenna sighed.

"Reality or fiction neither or them do anything half-arse and to hell with the fallout they may cause in the end." Remus arched a knowing brow at James and Sirius. "Sound familiar?"

"Who us?" They shrugged their shoulders in an attempt to act innocent.

"Who do you think I'm referring to?" Remus rolled his eyes at them.

"Harry and his gang of marauders trump us a thousandfold." James shot back.

"Yeah, we were nothing compared to the Weasley twins and that trio." Sirius agreed wholeheartedly with James.

"They were trying to survive and you two not so much. Now as for the twins, well, I agree you weren't that bad." Lily kissed James on the cheek.

"You were hellions, but we loved you despite it." Jenna found herself thoroughly kissed by Sirius and carried out of the room.

"They made my hell bearable and for that I am indebted to them for life." Remus sighed.

"What else are brothers for, but to be there for each other always." James swept Lily up into his arms. "On that note we bid you good night." They vanished.

"Yes see you in the morning." Remus and Gene vanished as well.

"Let's go before your personal secretary seeks you out whining about this crazy turn of events." Sarah led him out of the ballroom.

"I'm all yours." Andrew growled against her neck.

"That sounds rather delightful to…" She laughed when he carried; her like Rhett did to Scarlette, over his shoulder and up the grand staircase of the palace.

--

Chapter 17

Get me to the church on time

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	17. Get me to the church on time

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 17

Get me to the church on time

--

Let the Royal circus begin...

--

Wills woke up at dawn hugging Rory's pillow and sat up in bed. "Rory? You and I agreed that us seeing each other this morning doesn't apply, because we've been married for five years running now."

All he got in response was the sound of Rory sobbing in their bathroom.

Wills was out of bed and in the bathroom in an instant. "Sweetheart what's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you in pain? Is it the babies?!" Wills reined in the urge to panic.

"It's not going to fit and that'll ruin everything!" Rory was sitting at her vanity bawling her eyes out.

"Is that why you're so upset my darling? Of course your wedding gown is going to fit and no you are not going to ruin anything. It's just a case of nervous jitters." Wills went to pull her up into his arms.

Rory pushed him away and buried her face in her hands. "Leave me be I'm fat!"

"You're not fat sweetie, just slowly growing round with our miracles." Will tried his best to soothe her.

"Slowly! Does this look slowly to you?!" Rory unbelted her robe and her emerging baby bump was in clear view. "The babies grew overnight!"

Rory instantly felt sick and stumbled to the loo. "I'm not angry with you both…" She gasped. "Don't do this to me…" She tried to negotiate with her unborn twins, but that didn't help matters any she got sick anyway.

"Katherine Aurora Lily Elizabeth truth time exactly when did you take the potion and don't tell me just before my birthday." Wills bathed her face with a cool clothe and had her try to drink some water. "I've a feeling that yours and Dromi's due dates are a few weeks apart instead of days."

"After you made that speech at the U.N. about the need to focus on all the children of the world…" Rory got sick again.

:That was the end of May and you didn't think to take a test until the end of July?! Rory what due-date are we shooting for the spring equinox, St. Patrick's Day, or by the looks of things Valentines Day looks promising!: Wills was beyond unhappy with her, but continued to care for her in a calm soothing manner.

"I've know since your birthday, but I didn't want to upset Dromi. She wanted us to be pregnant together and she'd just taken the potion…" Rory got sick yet again.

"Rory why didn't you tell me?!" Wills didn't know how to feel about this. She'd never hidden something this big from him. There had been her being an Auror, because he'd been an idiot at the time. Then there was their home, but that had been a family planned surprise.

"I had just found out the morning before your birthday, then the boys were born and all focus was on Hermione. It wasn't long after that Dani got kidnapped and the night that I was going to break the news to you…" Rory after getting sick again cried even harder.

"The Ginny situation…" Wills sighed in frustration.

"Everyone went completely mental…"

"Because she was three nearly four months pregnant and going to play Quidditch not to mention that because of her deception Dani got hurt…You did go see Luce didn't you?" Wills was pacing the intricate mosaic tile floor of the bathroom trying desperately not to pull his hair out.

"You're mad at me!" Rory wailed in misery.

"Rory I'm upset! I have a right to be upset about this! You lied to me!" Wills snarled down at her.

"I didn't mean too it just kept getting more and more complicated…" Rory hugged her knees to her chest and the tears continued to stream freely from her eyes. "You hate me!"

"I do not hate you. I love you more than life, but I'm a little upset with you right now." Wills reined in his temper. "You did go see Luce before August didn't you?"

"Yes, I went to go see Luce. All I knew was that as of the first of July I was a month along most likely with two. But it wasn't until our appointment that I knew we were being blessed with twins." Rory sniffled miserably. "I didn't know what to say or do after everyone lit into Gin, so I kept quiet until Dromi had good news too."

"Just in case of such an emergency. I had two sets of gowns made exactly like your wedding and coronation gowns. You'll fit into either your originals or those. You see one has a special panel sewn into the undergarments to hide our little miracles progress or one allows you to show off how sexy you are as a momma-to-be." Wills now had her cradled in his arms. "Never be afraid to tell me anything. I had a suspicion that you might fast-forward our original plans, so I had Franc arrange for the creation of the other four gowns." Wills got her settled back in bed.

"Now would you like for me to go fix you some peppermint tea or are you better now?" Wills bathed her face with a cool cloth.

"Someone beat you to that one." Rory sniffled referring to the silver tray on the nightstand with a mug of peppermint tea and plate with two chocolate scones on it. There was a piece of stationery next to the plate that read 'Feel better baby…love mum and dad'.

"I see that." Wills, since she was already munching on a scone, handed her the tea. "Well one thing is for certain any question about how magical your pregnancy is gonna be has been answered in spades. These two are definitely going to set their own pace like the triplets did with Hermione." Wills got in next to her and placed a protective hand on her rounding middle.

"You really think I'm sexy and not fat." Rory nibbled on her second scone.

Wills kissed her bare shoulder. "Finish your snack and I'll show you."

Rory set her mug down on the tray, curled up against him, and settled back to sleep.

"Or I can just hold you and we can both get some sleep." Wills closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

--

Later that morning

"Really Rory you need to eat your breakfast. You'll need your strength and the babies need proper nourishment besides the prenatal potion." Hermione noticed that she was starting to show. "I sympathize with them keeping their own timetable, but it'll slow down after your fifth or sixth month. Dromi's due April twenty-first, so that would put you around the vernal equinox?"

"Yes," Rory tried to focus on eating something.

"I owe Harry an apology." Hermione sighed. "He told me that you were at least a month ahead of Dromi and I told him that because you both had taken the potion at the same time that he was off again prediction wise."

"Visions aren't always set in stone you of all people should agree with that line of thinking." Luna reminded her.

"Wills must have had a vision of his own." Ginny was eyeing the three gowns and then Rory.

"The first one is a wash, but it'll make a beautiful museum exhibit or they could put it on my wax figure at Madame Tussaud's for the Royal wedding exhibit. The second is specially designed to hide the twin's progress and the one next to it hides nothing and shows off my sexy figure, as Wills commented to me this morning." Rory explained between bites of breakfast. "He's always one step ahead of me and Franc the sweetie carried out his request beautifully."

"How are you feeling this morning, Baby?" Lily came to check on her daughters. "Any more nausea?"

"Much better Mum thanks for the scones and tea." Rory smiled at her mother.

"Next time don't keep secrets from your other half." Dromi joined them. "Or me for that matter. I would have understood."

"Yes I know and I'm sorry that I kept quiet, but everything was so crazy with wedding plans, official duties…" Rory was near tears again.

"No tears allowed today, unless they happen to be happy ones. I'm not cross at you about your being further along than I am. It'll be easier on the two of us and more suspenseful for the royal watchers." Dromi hugged her twin. "Besides our guys need to be able to stand with us in front of the Archbishop. We can't very well have the wedding in the bathroom now can we."

"No that would be a royal travesty." Rory smirked.

"The babies react to your moods and tend to make the Daddies-to-be worship the nearest loo or live on crackers and tea for the better part of your pregnancy. The babies blame your moods on them and then react accordingly." Hermione explained.

"The word 'we' in a sentence is also a trigger word that makes them instantly run to the nearest bathroom. If they start to hover feel free to use it, but if you use it too many times they catch on and you end up looking guilty of making them miserable." Ginny munched on a scone.

"Or they take the potion and it doesn't work anymore." Luna pouted.

"You're all forgetting that Rory and I memorized all the instances that we saw while you were pregnant and are well aware of the ticks of the trade. We do thank you for the refresher course though." Dromi winked at them.

"Oh! Is that the tiara the two of you chose to wear?" Hermione spied the open jewel cases.

"The royal jewelers nearly died when we requested that they duplicate the Cambridge Love Knot set, so we both could wear it for our wedding day to our guys. Grandpa provided the gems, so that helped immensely." Rory's eyes twinkled merrily. "We both have all of her jewelry collection; again the jewelers nearly had a coronary. You see when well-wishers sent us her jewelry that they bought at auctions keeping them safe for her boys the two of us had to each have a set. It's a twin thing. It wasn't like grandpa didn't provide them with the gems and that none of the crowned jewels were touched. Those types are just high-strung."

Rory stood in front of the mirror and cast the glamour on herself to change her appearance. Her flaming red-gold hair fell in a cascade of perfectly curled waves down to her waist; her tiara was nestled on top of her head, as was her exquisitely delicate mile long veil that matched the train of her gown. The jewelry to match was now in place, as was back up wedding gown number one with delicate hand sewn embroidery, yards of lace, silk, tulle, satin, pearls, and winking gems and a seemingly endless train. It did indeed conceal her baby bump and thanks to the wonders of magic and a simple spell it felt as light as breeze to wear. Her choice of gown was nearly strapless if not for the intricate cap sleeves that just barely concealed her shoulders, delicate glass slippers, and white opera length gloves completed her ensemble.

"Well?" She studied herself in the mirrors.

"First-Grams had a say in the final design didn't she?" Hermione was nearly speechless.

"Kate, First-Grams, and Frankie all had a hand in the design." Dromi nodded as she circled her twin. "Let's see the other one too." Dromi had glamoured herself as well and was wearing a nearly identical ensemble only her gown had long sleeves in the classic princess design.

"Yes let's see the other one and then you can decide between the two." Diana appeared beside Lily. "Our girls are gonna knock 'em flat." She was all smiles.

"I agree with Diana let's see gown number three." Mab appeared dressed in all her finery.

"Need any help?" Kate and Lexi came to check on them.

"Oh wow you two look storybook! Our brothers are gonna die when they see you." Bea and Genie sighed dreamily.

"Here goes the other one. Now I want you to tell me the truth. Do I or do I not look fat in this." Rory was instantly in the other gown and what she saw stunned her, the slight curve of her tummy enhanced her curves and did nothing to hinder it at all. "I don't look that bad…"

"Sweetie you and your sister haven't made the most beautiful women in the world lists six years running, out of sympathy and pregnancy only enhances your natural beauty. So embrace it." Lily stood beside her.

"There is no question that gown is what you should wear." Mab smiled.

"Oh absolutely that one hands down." Diana agreed.

"That's the one." Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Kate, and Lexi all agreed.

"Oh wow." Dani, Ally, Mia, and Izzy sighed.

"You two look gorgeous." Rose, Gene, Sarah, Bree, and Jenna echoed the girls.

"Lotus was next arriving. "Sorry I'm late. Mai was being fussy this morning…She's daddy's little angel now…so…" Lotus stopped in midapology to stare in awe at Rory and Dromi. "The two of you look fantastic."

"Yes and it's all thanks to Kate, First-Grams, and Frankie." Rory and Dromi smiled.

"A muggle would not have done your gowns justice and I loved the challenge." Kate did a little bow.

"I foresaw your impending motherhood and focused on your comfort above all." Mab was going about touching up the rest of the wedding party, until she was satisfied that all was perfect. "Yes that's much better."

"We each have a sapphire ankle bracelet given to us by our guys. "That's our something new." Dromi showed off her rainbow-bling by lifting the skirt of her gown.

"Your garters are the traditional something blue." Bea smirked.

Emma, who had been napping in the love seat yawned and blinked at them. "The jewelry could be both old and new. I mean assuming Uncle Stephen acquired the raw gems from Blackbeard's treasure or one of the dozen finds that Bill has discovered during the years that he's gone freelance."

"Well then girls you more than have your something old." Sarah smiled.

Anna and Violet came to check on their granddaughters.

"You look breathtaking my darlings." Anna smiled.

"Yes you both look lovely." Violet noticed that Rory was showing. "I see that the little ones are making themselves known. I'll bet Wills gave you an earful this morning."

"I woke up at dawn, saw that I was showing, and panicked."

--

"Lose the train." Wills, decked out in all his royal finery, scowled at the ridiculously long train of her gown. "The veil is fine, but the train has to go."

"William it's…" His sisters started to scold him.

"Not rotten luck when we've been happily married for five years. This is merely us renewing our vows." Wills saw which gown she had chosen and the scowled changed to a wolfish grin. "My god you're stunning in that…Hi Mum isn't she gorgeous." He smiled at his mother.

"William Arthur Philip Louis march your kingly ass back to your brother and not another word about her gown!" Diana ordered her oldest.

"She's carrying precious cargo, so there will be abso-bloody-lutely no bloomin mile long or twenty or so pound train." Wills bristled at her tone. "They both are, so that ridiculous flounce of material isn't needed."

"Now Dreamboat, calm down this gown is light as air to wear train or not." Rory turned to soothe him, but on seeing him in all of his kingly glory lost all train of thought. "Everyone's dream hunk and he's all mine." She smiled dreamily up at him and went to step into his arms. Unfortunately because it was beyond cumbersome she tripped on her train.

"I've got you heart of mine." Wills caught her in his arms.

"Sorry for the klutz attack, but you look yummy in that." Rory stared adoringly up into his loving blue eyes.

"Francis has an escapee…" Frankie stuck her head in the room. "And there he is about to kiss his Queen early."

"If Wills gets to see Rory then I can see Dromi." Henry growled from behind Frankie and finally caught sight of his wife. "Words cannot describe how breathtakingly beautiful you look in that gown, but the train is out of the question." Henry walked straight to his wife.

"Oh honestly, you two are making a big deal out of nothing and its tradition." Frankie growled.

"Then we're gonna break it like Hermione did when she married Harry." Wills growled back.

"Yeah, a cape or even a royal robe is fine just not this." Henry agreed.

"But it's too sultry to wear a royal robe." Rory pouted.

"Yes or a cape for that matter." Dromi echoed her sister.

"The veil will have to do, because there will be no twenty foot train dragging behind either of you." Wills wasn't budging on the issue.

"Silence! Stop this before you upset the unborn babes that Rory and Dromi have nurturing inside them." Mab had heard more than enough. "I will solve this issue for the four of you and you will like it." She focused on Rory and Dromi's gowns and fixed the problem by shortening the train and the veil to less than a foot behind the gown.

"Oh I love it First-Grams." Rory and Dromi beamed happily at her.

"Yeah, we'll go for that as a compromise." Henry and Wills nodded in approval.

"Now off with the two of you until you see them both at the cathedral." Mab narrowed her eyes at them.

"What is the big deal?! We're going to ride in the carriage with them." Wills wasn't about to leave.

"Harry and I did at our wedding. I mean it's only fair." Hermione saw their point.

"Boys what is all of this fuss about Rory and Dromi's gowns?" Elizabeth arrived with something for the girls and took in the problem at hand. "Wills can succeed me and we shall have the coronation after the twins are born." She decreed.

"Absolutely not the coronation goes on as scheduled. Nothing has changed; three years of planning shall not be scrapped, because I'm making most of you nervous. I've rehearsed every detail all week and managed fine." Rory hated being treated like glass. She was in fabulous health and they needed to stop worrying so much.

"Easy my tigress message received…" Wills started to soothe her, but his stomach had other ideas and he raced into the bathroom.

"No…No…No naughty babies. Daddy can't be sick today." Rory placed a hand on her middle and scolded her twins. "Mummy's not upset at Daddy, so leave him be."

:Mama woke us up.: A little girl's tiny voice chimed loud and clear.

:Dada woke us up too.: A grouchy little boy's voice growled.

Wills stumbled out of the bathroom shocked to his toes. "They're talking…we woke them…one of each…I've gotta sit down." He collapsed onto a settee willing his stomach to calm down.

:Daddy's sorry for disturbing your slumber. Now please lay off me, so Momma and I can get married in front of a billion or so people. Please try to limit talking to just your momma and I for now okay?: Wills linked with the two and pleaded with them to behave.

:Sorry we new at this, but we try.: They answered back. :We sleep now love dada and mama.: The two of them settled back to sleep.

"Your questions of boy or girl, how magically gifted, and how intelligent the twins are has been answered." Harry was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I brought the two of you Uncle Severus' latest Pregnancy Male Syndrome antidote it should get you both through most of the day. Dad, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, Ron, Logan, and Draco all swear by it."

Henry walked over and took the bottles from him. "You're just loving this aren't you baby brother."

Harry's grin widened even more. "Let's go ladies it's almost showtime. Everything's all set; we're just waiting on the four of you." He bent down and scooped all three of his girls up into his arms.

"Is Daphne already there?" Dani asked.

"She and her parents have front row seats. She told me to tell you that stage fright is normal and it'll be fine." Harry winked at her.

"Dani's nervous." Ally, Mia, and Izzy giggled.

"So am I, but the show must go on." Henry winked at Dani.

"I'm perfectly capable of throwing rose petals." Dani folded her arms in front of her and scowled. "I'm talking to my cousins and have convinced them to be nice to the two of you."

"They're only teasing you baby, so don't go getting all upset." Hermione took her out of Harry's arms and tried to soothe her.

"The boys were making faces at you during the rehearsal and that's why you tripped like you did. You'll do splendidly today." Elizabeth took her from Hermione. "Girls your something borrowed are two jeweled pins worn by Queen Victoria. I had them pin them to your bouquets."

Dromi picked up her bouquet and looked at the jeweled pin depicting the sun, moon, and stars. "Oh Gran, its lovely." She smiled happily.

"Yes Gran, it's the perfect touch." Rory was checking on Wills making sure that he took every drop of the potion.

"She had them commissioned late in her rein. They thought she'd been bewitched by the stars." Elizabeth knew some of the lore surrounding the pins.

"More like not amused," Rose smirked.

"No I suppose she wouldn't have been," Elizabeth had instantly bonded with Rose from the moment that they'd met and had adopted her into the fold as one of her own grandchildren. "Does the tiara that I had sent to your rooms fit?"

"Yes your majesty it's lovely. I feel like a princess." Rose smiled shyly.

"Call me Gran and that's as it should be." Elizabeth smiled at her. "You are of noble and eternal blood and very much one of my own. I thought the ruby's fire of The Oriental Circlet would suit you and I was correct you shall look stunning wearing it tomorrow with your gown." She gave her a hug. "That yellow enhances your inner glow. Come we shall see about some pearls or perhaps a citrine to match your dress. Sabrina, Eugenie, and Beatrice we shall see about your jewelry as well."

--

The girls filed out of the room after the Queen and passed by The Doctor, Andrew, and James.

The Doctor paused to kiss Rose, wink at the girls, and then kiss the Queen's hand. He was rewarded with kisses on the cheeks and now held Dromi in his arms.

"Not long now before we have to embark to the Cathedral." He looked down finding that Dani was sulking about something. "Hey now sweetie what's with the frown? Just picture them in their knickers or skivvies and smile." He tweaked her nose.

"I'm not nervous, but thanks I'll remember that." Dani rolled her eyes at him. "I'm just trying to rein in my cousins, so my Uncles don't have to make a dash to the Men's halfway through their vows."

"That's very thoughtful of you peanut. Did either of them have a bout of sickness or is it precautionary?" James smiled at his grandbaby.

"Uncle Wills woke up Diana and Teddy, but so far Jessica and Nicky are being nice to Uncle Henry." Dani knew what her cousins wished to be called and used their names to identify them as if it were no big deal.

"Diana, Theodore, Jessica, and Nicolas. Two sets of fraternal twins." Andrew was all smiles.

"Oh frazzle, I stepped in it again…first I blurted all that out to Jack and Uncle Doc and now this." Dani bit down on her bottom lip. "It bites being the go-between my cousins all the time, but then it's nice to know things that no one else knows." She hadn't realized that they were back in the other room and muttered a few choice words in parseltounge.

"Care to enlighten the rest of us or is this hush-hush need to know." Harry arched a brow at his oldest.

"They've conversed with you?" Henry, Wills, Rory, and Dromi all stared at her in disbelief.

"All of my cousins converse with me, while inside their mothers. I'm a magnet for that sort of thing. The four of them can't promise anything, but they'll try not to cause their Daddies or Mummy's any trips to the loo." Dani sighed in frustration.

"Our thanks to the arbitrator, now as for the other the potion should help to." Wills sighed in relief.

"Daddy's grinning like a Cheshire cat." Rory frowned.

"All three of them are." Dromi sensed that something more was going on other than just Dani talking to their babies.

"What's with you three then?" Henry growled.

"Nothing for you to be concerned about, I say you girls look breathtakingly beautiful." The Doctor smiled at Rory and Dromi.

"You can tell me I can keep a secret forever." Di floated over to Dani and whispered that in her ear.

"Mum that's not fair!" Wills and Henry grumbled.

Dani ignored them and focused on Diana's mind. "And that's where I went with Uncle Doc." She winked at her.

"Hey, now that's really not fair!" Harry and Hermione protested.

"On the contrary Diana has crossed over that's entirely within the rules." The Doctor smirked.

"My sweetie what an adventure you had and the rest is lovely too." Diana blew them all kisses. "I'm off to join your Great-Gran and Allysia at the Cathedral blessed be my darlings." She vanished.

All eyes focused on Dani.

Draco stood just outside the doorway with plush bears in his arms. "I've a Special delivery for the happy couples that can't wait until later."

"Saved by the Straus bears," Dani focused on the four bears and they flew into her Aunt's and Uncles arms. "Now it's okay to spring this on the four of you without breaking any rules."

"Diana…" Wills read the name that was lovingly embroidered on the soft pink tinted golden blonde fur of the violet eyed teddy bear.

"Theodore…" Rory cuddled the sapphire eyed teddy bear with blue tinted golden blonde fur. "We'll call him Teddy of course."

"Jessica…" Henry had to sit down suddenly it was all too real. This bear with pink tinted red-gold fur and shocking emerald green eyes the official family heirloom was here in his arms.

"Nicolas…" Dromi beamed with happiness hugging the hazel eyed bear with blue tinted red-gold fur close to her heart. "What a lovely choice for a first name."

"Well the four of them seem to like them." Dani's eyes sparkled with humor. "Now you've got names instead of calling them 'you in there' or 'hey you'."

:Di and Teddy we love you.: Rory and Wills placed a hand on her middle.

:Jessie and Nicky we love you very much.: Henry and Dromi sent a similar message to their little ones.

:Love you's too, sleep now.: Di and Teddy answered sleepily.

"Um Jessie and Nicky aren't up to that yet, but they'll chat with you in a few weeks or so. They both adore you though, so no worries there." Dani reassured her Aunt and Uncle that all was well with their twins.

"It's good to know that their cousin is looking out for them." Dromi smiled at her and Dani blushed.

"Let's go everyone its magic time the carriages are waiting." Franc arrived to kick them all into high gear.

"Relax Francis or you'll blow a blood vessel or something horrid like that and end up in a Muggle Hospital." Frankie rolled her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction my blood vessels are fine. I'm a squib not a muggle, stress only gives me migraines." Franc narrowed his eyes at her his voice cold as Arctic tundra. "The sooner everyone gets to the cathedral the faster these four can focus on their little ones."

"You heard the General let's get this party underway." James saluted Franc with a cheeky grin on his face.

Harry's mobile rang. It was Jack. "What?" Harry growled.

"She's all set and has developed a case of hysterical laryngitis overnight, so her growling at Rose won't be a problem. Little Suzie is adorable…" Jack was holding three-year-old Suzette Tyler, Pat and Jackie's daughter in his arms.

"Suzie?" The Doctor frowned.

"Pat and Jackie's three-year-old angel another reason why she wished to mend fences with Rose." Jack answered him.

"You might have said that before."

"Not really my place to say…not good she's seen me with the phone…and she bypassed Gwen." Jack hung up.

"Worry about that later we're nearly running late." Rose and the rest of the wives dragged their husbands out of the room to the waiting cars or carriages."

--

St Paul's Cathedral

Rose and The Doctor entered the Cathedral while the others dodged questions from the media and press.

"Lord and Lady Galloway this way to your seats." A cousin of Wills and Henry's led them to the family pews.

"Thank you, Lad. I'm surprised that you memorized the faces and names of seven hundred guests." The Doctor smiled warmly at the young man.

"I've got a microcomputer screen in the lens of my specs that helps a lot, besides you're a renowned scientist and I'm majoring in Astrophysics." The young man grinned. "The scientific community is beside themselves with curiosity trying to decipher why you decided to come out of your seclusion and are going as far as wagering on it."

"Dr. Timothy Cooper is on the verge of a breakthrough and I am as well so we decided to team up. That and my wife missed civilization." The Doctor brought Rose's hand up to his lips and kissed.

"The Isle was no place to raise a family. I'm working on a novel, longed to touch base with our families again, and I missed shopping desperately as well." Rose locked gazes with her love and he grinned from ear to ear in sheer delight. :I took a test this morning it turned pink!:

"No dearest it most certainly is not and…" The Doctor was interrupted by a tiny blonde miniature version of his Rose pulling on the leg of his trousers. "Hello there and you are?" He knelt down in front of her, knowing full well that this little munchkin was Suzie Tyler.

"I'm three." She blinked curiously at him with big hazel brown eyes.

"My such a big girl. I'm John and this is my wife Renee."

"Nah you're the Doctor and that's, um, other big sissy Renee Rose…" Suzie frowned shaking her head sending her cap of golden blonde ringlets bouncing.

"So I am a Doctor of sorts and this is most certainly your big sister." He chuckled highly amused by this turn of events.

"Pumpkin let's not wander off again okay…" Patrick Tyler skidded to a halt in front of his daughters, and son-in-law.

"Dad, sorry I've been away for so long." Rose swallowed the lump in her throat, as she locked gazes with whom in all essence was her father. It stung knowing that this adorable little bundle of energy was getting to be raised by him, while she'd been gypped of that at the tender age of six-months-old.

"Your mother hurt you badly by her actions, so I understand why." Pat felt an instant bond with her. Regardless of her change of appearance this was still very much Rose. "Suzie this is Renee. Rosie's older sister by an hour. Renee this is our Suzie." He scooped her up into his arms, so his baby girl could get a better look at her sister. "Jac's has regretted her words and actions for four years now…"

"Dad I've undergone quite the transformation, nothing has changed I'm still not who she wants me to be. She's got Rosie for that…"

"I'll leave you too it then…" The young man sensing a potential family brouhaha beat a hasty retreat.

"Mummy's sorry…" Suzie sniffled.

"I'm sorry… I can't do this…" Rose was fighting back tears.

"She's in a delicate state…"

"Shows about to start…" Jack raced over to them. "You need to hash this out…well, well, well, Doc you two sure didn't waste any time." He winked at Rose.

"Are you?" Patrick arched a brow at Rose and then shot the Doctor a look.

"You're not like Rosie. She's broken." Suzie chimed.

Jackie, having managed to escape Rosie and Mickey, just managed to catch that last part of the conversation. She was unable to utter a sound, but typing her reaction into her palm size Origami computer allowed her to convey what she wanted to say. "He can't because he's not able to father anything!"

"I'm sorry, but she's sneaky." Gwen Cooper shot Jack a guilty look.

"Not to worry I'll handle it." Jack winked at her. "See you in a bit. Trust me you don't wish to be in the line of fire."

Gwen rolled her eyes at him, shot Rose and the Doctor a curious look, and went back to her seat.

The Doctor's brow furrowed, as he glowered down at her. "The curse on my family has been lifted. I am more than capable of fathering a child, so a grandmama you will be late spring or early summer. Rose and I have fifty plus years to prefect the House of Galloway."

"Mum he most certainly is not broken that I can assure you." Rose narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"So that's why she doesn't age…How far back are we talking here?" Pat growled.

"You two have ten minutes to sit down. Wills, Rory, Henry, and Dromi are en route." Regulus walked up the aisle towards them.

"Jack please show them back to their seats." Harry joined them.

"Louis XV does come to mind. Reinette was her name. Hell of an adventure having an affair with Madame de Pompadour the 'Little Queen'. Hadn't a clue until quite recently actually that my curse was broken…" The Doctor was interrupted by Rose.

"Not that any of that matters it took centuries for us to find each other again and this time I kept him." Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Well in that case, you two more than have my blessing. Let's go Jac's time to take our seats." Patrick shot his wife a look.

"Mum we'll talk at the reception. Suzie can sit with us if she wants to." Rose felt relieved having faced the truth head on and smiled at her family.

"Can I please?" Suzie eyed her parents in delight.

"Sure pumpkin just be quiet as a mouse during the ceremony." Pat set her in Roses arms.

Jackie burst into tears and threw her arms around Rose, the Doctor, and her baby girl. "I love you so much and I'm so sorry." She whimpered hoarsely.

"Love you too Mum and I'm sorry for staying away for so long." Rose hugged her back.

"There are two extra seats beside John and Renee, so please feel free to sit beside them." Harry sensing trouble was no longer afoot gave them a reward.

"I'll go tell Mickey and Rosie." Jack headed back to the VIP seating area.

The crowd outside roared to life.

"Uncle Regulus please see them to their seats. I'm needed out-front." Harry headed back down the aisle while the others took their seats in the family section.

--

Wills, Rory, Dromi, and Henry were greeting their subjects by standing on the first landing, instead of climbing the remaining crimson red carpeted steps that led up to the front doors of the cathedral. Wills and Henry thrilled their subjects by kissing their brides early.

The crowd that seemed to go on for miles went off the charts in response to their kiss and the noise startled their unborn twins.

:Oh no not now!: Wills felt his stomach start to roll.

:Wills you're turning a shade of green.: Rory reached up to touch his cheek.

:Di and Teddy got spooked by the noise and the two are gonna make me know it.: Wills closed his eyes willing for the sensation to pass.

:I'm sorry Tiger. Would a cracker help?: Rory asked worriedly.

:Yes, but it's too risky to just conjure one from thin air in front of the whole bloomin world.: Wills moaned the sensation was getting worse.

"Big brother, I come bearing some relief." Harry ignored the crowd, media, and what not gawking at their every move and handed Wills what appeared to be a bottle of a 7-up. "One for you as well Henry, you're looking green around the gills too." He handed Henry the other bottle.

"Thanks, I was seriously on the verge of bolting for those bushes over there." Henry downed the potion.

"You, I was thinking about the sea of news equipment." Wills did the same.

"Boy's everyone knows that you four are hopelessly, eternally, and madly in love, so the theatrics that terrified four innocents beyond measure wasn't needed." Hermione joined them.

"Yes, it's not just you four anymore try you eight." Harry chuckled when the crowd shouted something at him and Hermione. "Well if I must." He pulled Hermione into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Mummy! Daddy! Honestly it's their day not yours, so enough is enough with the mushy stuff!" Dani, Ally, and Mia stalked down the steps and the crowds went from wolf whistles to 'Oh the three of them are getting so big and so adorable'.

"Now ladies, I was merely complying with the request of our subjects, and giving our grooms here time to calm their queasy stomachs." Harry smiled down at his own little miracles.

Rory turned just right and the crowd of onlookers could clearly make out her emerging baby bump. "It was too noisy for our miracles, so it spooked them." She placed a protective hand on her middle and smiled adoringly at Wills.

"Our miracles and their exquisitely beautiful mum will always be safe in my arms." Wills placed his hand over hers and kissed her forehead.

"I'll always be there to nurture and protect our little wonders and their gorgeously beautiful Mum." Henry mirrored his brother's actions.

The massive HDTV monitors that were set up all along the carriage route and in the cathedral itself conveyed the scene that was playing out outside to the world.

:Yes, yes, now the whole would knows about your feelings towards my aunts and unborn cousins. I spotted an ice lolly vendor down the way. Do we have time to go get us some or are you actually going to get hitched again in the next few minutes or so?: Dani was longingly eyeing the vendor selling refreshing icy treats.

"Message received Little Bit. We'll behave." Wills tweaked her nose.

"Boy's mother and the family are waiting." Andrew growled down at them from the second landing just a dozen steps above them. "The scene was touching. Mother loved it, but you've put it off long enough, now kindly get your royal arses in gear." He regally stalked up the steps that led to where the rest of the wedding party was waiting.

"Let's go girls." Harry took Dani's hand. Hermione took Ally's and Mia happily held on to her sisters hands as the five of them walked up the crimson carpeted steps.

"We're running almost an hour late." Wills checked his watch. "No matter. Now my beautiful Tigress shall we go get royally hitched?" Wills brought her gloved hand up to his lips and kissed it.

Rory smiled adoringly up into his endless cobalt blue eyes. "Why Tiger I thought you'd never ask." She winked at him laughing when he proceeded to sweep her up into his arms and carried her up the rest of the steps.

"Henry, my handsome prince and man on my dreams?" Dromi her eyes full of love as she smiled up at him.

"Yes Andromeda, my gorgeous enchantress." Henry brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"Please marry me so, that I'm once again the luckiest woman on the planet to have you as husband, best friend, lover, and father of our babies." She laughed breathlessly when she also was swept up into the arms of her husband and carried up the steps.

"It will be my honor to marry you again this time in front of the world declaring my unending love, everlasting devotion to you, and our babies." He set her down on her feet in front of the family waiting for them at the entrance leading into the cathedral.

The four of them were once again kissing and oblivious to the world around them.

"That tears it. I'm gonna get us some ice lolly's." Dani set her basket of rose petals down on the crimson carpet, but her Grandpa scooped her up into his arms before she could manage her escape. "But it's hot and sticky, the four of them are taking ages, and it's right across from Uncle Kingsley." She pouted up at him.

"I know that it's getting sultry, but you aren't leaving anywhere to get a snack." James himself had been up since dawn and hadn't gotten his usual sleep, so he wasn't in the best of moods either.

"Fine then I'll let my cousins break all of this mushiness up." Dani muttered darkly.

:Danielle don't make me put you on magical restriction.: Hermione hissed.

:For what? Telepathy has nothing to do with magic only with my mind.: Dani hissed back.

:Sweetie, they can't help it nor are they doing this on purpose. They're in love. You'll understand years from now when you're much older.: Harry tried to reason with her.

:They've got two minutes to cool it or I Accio the ice lolly to my hand in front of everyone or make all four of them worship the loo. I'm hot, bored out of my mind, have the media on me which I loathe, and I despise this flower girl dress nonsense!: Dani told all of those who were capable of hearing her. "I'm not bluffing either." She growled out loud.

"She means it Daddy." Ally nodded.

"She's been grouchy since everyone played musical arms with her back at the palace." Mia walked over to the four of them. :Dani is gonna make you four suffer if you don't dispense with the kissing in the next two minutes.: She reached up to tug on her Uncles jackets.

:Or do something very rash like Accioing an ice lolly to her from the vendor down the street.: Ally joined in with her sister. "In one minute and counting."

"Enough! The four of you are to start behaving like proper royals! Keep your hands-off one another until you're told to touch one another or kiss the bride!" Andrew snapped sharply at the four of them.

That snapped them out of it.

"I'd listen if I were you." Dani glared up at them.

:Tiger our Dani is getting grouchy.: Rory eyed her niece warily.

:I see that my Tigress, so we'd better be good.: Wills reluctantly let her go.

:Dani's in the mood to make us pay.: Henry let go of Dromi.

:Events like this one make her grouchy and it is getting a bit sultry today: Dromi stood still while Kate and Frankie fussed with her and Rory's gowns, until they were once again picture-perfect.

"See you at the alter Dreamboat." Rory blew Wills a kiss before Kate lowered the veil over her face.

"Let's go boys." Andrew pointed to the open doors of the cathedral.

"See you in a few minutes handsome." Dromi winked at Henry.

"Now boys," Andrew ordered.

"Dad we're married and will walk up the aisle with our girls." Wills decided to try to press his luck.

"Yeah Dad, the hell with tradition or the rules," Henry grumbled.

"Your Grandmother wishes you to at least attempt to follow some tradition now move." Andrew ended their protest by shoving them both inside in a much undignified manner. "A father's work is never done." Andrew disappeared after them.

--

Chapter 18

Sudden Cravings

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	18. Sudden Cravings

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 18

Sudden Cravings

--

Wills and Henry get a feel of what the others have had to go through all of these years...

--

Nearly an hour or so later the four of them were riding the coach back to the Palace waving at the jubilant subjects and of course sneaking the occasional kiss between royal waving duties.

"I'm starving." Rory hissed at Wills through her teeth not breaking her perfected smile or wave.

:I'll get you something as soon as we reach the Palace. That should hold you until the reception.: Wills patted her hand reassuringly.

:But I want chips not royal cuisine.: Rory laid her head on his shoulder.

:Or a meat pie and chips sounds heavenly.: Dromi shot Henry a longing look.

:Ladies we're en route to the palace. We can't just pause the royal wedding parade to stop and get you lunch. Dad and Grams would have our hides: Wills never once broke royal protocol.

:We could seeing as of twenty minutes ago you're the ruling monarchs or need I remind you of that King William V and Queen Katherine.: Henry arched a brow at his brother and Rory.

"We're hungry feed us some fish and chips." Rory pouted up at him and tacked on the magic word.

"We want a meat pie and chips." Dromi whimpered.

"We'll have one of the staff run out and get it as soon as we're…" Wills tried to reason with them, but instantly had a change of heart when his stomach started getting queasy again. "My Queen wishes for fish and chips then fish and chips she shall have." Wills stood up in the slowly moving carriage and easily jumped down onto the pavement.

"Anything else something cool to drink perhaps?" Henry asked as he stood up.

"Lemonade would be lovely." They smiled.

"Lemonade it is then." Henry joined his brother on the street.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness! Where in the name of the monarchy are you two off to?" Niles the driver of the coach stopped the carriage and hissed down at them.

"Not far old bean. Just over to the Pub over there on the corner for some Fish and Chips, meat pies, and lemonade." They shouted back at him before jogging over to the corner Pub with their entourage of security in hot pursuit.

--

Kingsley was more interested in if the girls were all right. "So the two of you had a sudden craving did you? Couldn't you wait until we reached the palace?" He climbed up into the open aired carriage to check on them.

"We're hungry now." The girls sniffled.

Kingsley raked his hand across his face. "That's bad form. You know very well that adding the word 'we' to anything you say while you're expecting puts them at your mercies." He scolded the two of them.

"We don't wish to eat a snack and then wait hours to eat royal cuisine nothing portions. We want real food for lunch." Rory folded her arms in front of her chest and scowled at him. "Need I remind you that I am Queen and could careless if I'm mucking up anyone's precious schedules or not."

"No Katherine Aurora you do not, but its scorching today and we're going to move the carriage into the shaded area in front of us." Kings ignored her tone and regal glare. "Niles be a good chap and move the carriage into the shade."

"Yes Major Shacklebolt." Niles nodded.

"It's bad enough that Dani halted the rest of the carriages to get ice lolly's for her and the little ones and now you've stopped for takeaway." Kings narrowed his eyes at the photogs and media that were trying to approach the carriage. "Get behind the barricade or under arrest you will be. Her Royal Highness Princess Andromeda and Her Majesty Queen Katherine are craving lunch. His Majesty King William and His Royal Highness Prince Harry went to the Pub to appease their hunger pains. We will be underway soon. Meantime might I suggest that all of you rerun your footage of the wedding."

The media, photogs, and press were escorted back to their areas by the army of security.

Kings then sent word out to everyone that all was fine and conveyed the situation.

--

The Pub owner nearly had a heart attack, as he watched Wills and Henry jump out of the carriage and run towards his Pub. "Milly we're gonna be on the Telly for sure."

"Milo shush I'm listening to the Telly…" Milly growled.

Milo took a deep breath and walked over to open the doors of his Pub. "Welcome Your Majesty and Your Highness. How may me and my humble establishment be of help on your joyous day?"

"That remains to be seen. Please wait here while we secure the location." The head of the security contingent got between Wills and Henry and the front doors of the Pub.

"We run a clean business and we're closed for the day." Milo frowned.

"Dag quit being paranoid and let us pass." Wills scowled.

"Yeah Dag, we're on a mission to soothe our brides." Henry grumbled.

"Preferably before we have to worship the loos in the Men's." Wills muttered under his breath.

"Your Majesty, we need to secure the location…" Dag wasn't used to being challenged or having everything run amok during his watch. Her majesty Queen Elizabeth was so much easier to deal with unlike this younger set.

"Enough with the royal protocol nonsense, these fine citizens are not going to poison the fish and chips, meat pies, or lemonade that we are about to request nor are they plotting either my brother's or my demise. Now step aside Colonel Smitty." Wills ordered him.

"Milo you're on the Telly…" Milly turned to shout at her husband, only to nearly faint dead on the spot by the bar.

"Milly!" Milo raced to her side. "Now Milly sit down over here and try to breathe."

"We're going to be on the Telly and I look a fright!" She put a hand up to her fiery red hair that was up in curlers and covered by a kerchief, stared at the front doors in horror, and went to hide in the kitchen.

"Milly while your back there we need four orders of Fish and chips, four orders of meat pies and chips, and add four orders of sticky toffee pudding for desert all of it for takeaway!" Milo shouted into the kitchen. "The Princess and the Queen are havin a cravin."

"Oh those poor darlings," Milly immediately set about preparing the food. "I'll add various desserts and fresh salad and bread as well."

"That's my darlin girl." Milo went back to tell the King and Prince.

"We're fine Dag; just keep everyone at bay from Rory and Dromi."

"Shacklebolt has them covered your majesty and they've been moved to the shaded part of the route." Dag was checking the Pub.

"Kings is a good man." Wills walked over to Milo. "Sorry for any inconvenience this will cause you. I'll have the royal seal bestowed on your Pub for doing this enormous service for us…" His stomach began to roll again. "Oh bugger not again. Excuse me would you." Wills made a mad dash for the Men's.

"We're never gonna survive months of this…" Henry was also feeling queasy and raced to the Men's.

"Poor Lad's. I've heard of that, but never seen it with me own eyes. Feel free to have a seat at the bar if you'd like." Milo went behind the gleaming mahogany bar to fix the ailing grooms two lemon lime sodas.

"You and your boys wait outside. We've got this covered." Logan, Kane, Harry, and Draco walked into the Pub.

"Your highnesses are just as stubborn as…" Dag grumbled.

"Logan and Kane can handle anything that arises now go." Draco cut him off.

"Yes Dag, you and your men are needed for media and press pest control." Harry shot him a look that dared him to defy it. "Our big brothers will be fine that I can assure you now go."

Dagwood muttered a few choice words under his breath, but knew better than to challenge the Wizarding elite let alone the two princes one of whom had achieved Merlin level status only weeks before. "Push your panic buttons if you become in need of us." The man stalked out of the Pub with his men.

"He's a good man, just a bit uptight when it comes to his duty." Harry smiled at the tall, lanky, balding, middle-aged gent staring at the four of them. "It's really okay. We're actually quite harmless."

"The Pendragon's and the Windsor's in my humble little Pub." Milo couldn't believe his luck business would be booming now.

"Believe it or not we prefer this type of food hands down over gourmet cuisine." Draco grinned.

"There's nothing to gourmet." Logan agreed. "You're still hungry after finishing your meal."

"The ancient blue-blooded elite tend to enjoy meals of that caliber. Where as the younger generations tend to tolerate it." Kane smirked.

"True Kane very true," Harry chuckled. "So did Wills and Henry… sorry force of habit Harry make a dash for the Men's?"

"Uh, yeah, they seemed a might green around the gills…Uh, sorry I meant yes Your Highness…" Milo became a tad flustered and attempted to bow.

"None of that is necessary. I'm Harry, that's my brother Draco, our cousin Logan Dumbledore, and Kane Rai loyal friend of the family and our guard." Harry tried to set him at ease. "I'll be right back." He headed towards the back of the Pub.

"Milo be a love and come give me a hand…" Milly stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Bless me soul more royals." She clasped her hands to her chest in delight.

"We're checking on our big brother's for the rest of the family." Draco smiled at Milly.

She'd missed going out to watch the parade for herself. Because she was sporting a walking cast on her left ankle, and had braved coming out of the kitchen in her housecoat, curlers, and slippered feet to call Milo into the kitchen to help her. "Milo Macanny my foot is a hindrance in the kitchen and I only have two hands…" She glanced over at Milo who was offering the three of them a Guinness.

"Mum? Dad? Why's the Pub surrounded? Did something go awry during the Royal double wedding?" Captain Miles Macanny came down the backstairs of the Pub by the Men's and Ladies rooms. Because the Pub was closed he hadn't bothered to get dressed and was in his boxers and Sandhurst t-shirt. He stood six five and was a handsome, lanky, twenty-eight year-old newly assigned officer of the Men in Gray. He was currently on leave to help out at the Pub which had been nearing monetary crisis. Miles had served with Wills and Henry during his four year stint in the Army. Before being recruited to the M.I.G. as he was a highly accredited and decorated officer as well as a trusted friend and colleague of Wills and Henry. "Holy cricket! Captain Kane, Captain Logan, Prince Draco…"

"Miles?" Kane, Logan, and Draco had all befriended the Captain months ago.

"Miles? You're friendly with the royals and their families and kept this from me!" Milly disappeared back into the kitchen, but not before wailing. "HOW COULD YOU! I'M YOUR MUM!" At the top of her lungs.

"Mum don't be like that! I've told you and Dad a million times my work is off-limits and I can't discuss it!" Miles raked fingers through his strawberry blonde hair in frustration. He was badly in need of a regulation cut and looking more rouge than military at the moment.

"Milly it's for King and country now let me help you fill that order for the King and Prince." Milo went after his wife of thirty years and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Sorry Mate, but my big sisters got a craving halfway through the carriage ride back to the palace…" Draco downed half of his Guinness before continuing. "Wills and Henry spotted the Pub on the corner and figured it would have the ability to appease Rory and Dromi's cravings for fish and chips, meat pies, and lemonade to wash it all down."

"Cravings?" Miles walked over to the two of them.

"You're on leave Miles a lot has occurred in a month." Kane took a drink of his Guinness.

"Wills, Henry, and Harry are in the Men's." Logan was enjoying his refreshing drink.

"Why the men's?" Miles went behind the bar and fixed himself his own Guinness.

"PMS." Draco chuckled.

"Say that again…" Miles choked out after his drink went down the wrong pipe.

"Pregnancy Male Syndrome consisting of the father-to-be suffering from sympathetic morning sickness and the occasional mood swing." Draco explained. "The brunt of the symptoms can be triggered by ones wife saying the word we. Rory and Dromi used that around ten minutes or so ago putting Wills and Henry at their mercy."

"The two of them are novices at this whereas we're not, so our wives know better than to pull something like this on us." Logan seemed highly amused at this turn of events.

"It appears the two are also immune to our natural cure for their conditions." Kane, to hear what was going on outside, turned up the Telly. "A.C. and our Nanda are trying to gain entry to this pub."

"Mum will have kittens if anymore celebs crash the party." Miles downed the rest of his drink before vaulting over the bar and running to the doors of the Pub to lock them. "We're closed." He growled at the two in question.

"I'm a close friend of the royal family." Nanda smiled at him thinking that would gain her entry she was wrong.

"I'm merely trying to find out what the situation is to ease the tension growing among concerned onlookers across the globe." A.C. was his usual straight to the point self.

"Ms. Lewis isn't it and Mr. Cooper. I can assure you both and anyone concerned that everything is fine. King William and Prince Harry are husbands just like anyone else and are at the mercy of their pregnant wives. This being their wedding day one would not relish sleeping on the couch on ones wedding night, even if it's not their first wedding. My parents Milo and Milly Macanny the owners of this Pub that's been in my family since Queen Victoria reigned as Queen. We are honored to be filling the Queen's and Princesses craving request of Fish and Chips, meat pies, and Mum's freshly squeezed lemonade. Captain's Logan Dumbledore and Kane Rai are here as guards to all four royals that being Prince's Jamie and Draco Pendragon and King William and Prince Harry. Jamie and Draco are checking on their brothers-in-law. Now back over to your places before I really get testy and signal Smitty to deal with you." Miles filled the two of them in with a brief summary of the situation then his stern expression faded and he smiled warmly at Nanda. "Nice try Ms. Lewis, but I've been conditioned to resist even the loveliest of bribes friend of the family or not. They will see you at the reception." That said he closed the doors in their faces, pulled the shades, and locked the doors.

--

"Well you made an impression on…" A.C. rifled through his limitless bank of knowledge for a name to the face of the guy that had just sent them packing. "Captain Miles Macanny served with King William and Prince Harry for four years and is rumored to have been tapped for new head of His Majesty's personal guard. He's currently on leave do to a family emergency. No wonder he shut us both down, he's loyal to the core. He would lay down his life to guard them, and has had to do so four times and has been decorated for his heroic actions." A.C. fired off what he knew of Miles background. He's all business and his call sign is Iceman."

"That was the Iceman?" Nanda fanned at her flushed face.

"Yeah, I'm almost positive that was him." A.C. nodded.

"He looks hot out of uniform. I can just picture what he'll look like in one." Nanda sighed.

--

"Miles you just briefed two ace reporters in your skivvies and even got in a play for Nanda." Draco saluted him with his mug.

"Yeah, Miles that was well played mate." Logan grinned.

"Nanda looks shell-shocked to say the least." Kane smirked pointing to the Telly.

"She's gorgeous." Miles grinned at them. "It's a cryin shame that she's married to her career."

"She's excellent at what she does and highly respected by all those that know or work with her and when she's not working freelance she's working with the foundation." Harry made himself known. "She's great with kids; all of ours adore her and she's a loyal friend. No scratch that she's family and one of Mione's best friends and ally in the media. Why was she just here?"

"Who?" Wills and Henry looked a little pale, but otherwise fine.

"Nanda and A.C. tried to sneak in a minute or so ago and Miles briefed them and sent them on their way, but not before making a pass at Nanda of course." Draco was highly amused that they were making Miles squirm something that rarely happened nothing ever fazed the Iceman.

"I'm male, single, and she's a looker." Miles flushed crimson under his tanned complexion.

"Miles is this your parents Pub, the one you said needed saving, because of corporate pressure to make your parents give in and sell out?" Wills took in the authentic ambience of the Pub founded in the Victorian age.

Framed photo's both ancient and more modern adorned the walls. One snap was of their mum laughing with her friends. She must have been a teenager on a shopping trip or in London for a summer holiday with her friends.

"Your family is running a historic landmark that shall be sheltered and given the funding it needs to be a shining example of London's glorious history. This place is brilliant and spotlessly maintained to be modern in areas as well as keeping its genuine Pub ambience." Wills sat down at the bar.

"I sent my parents the money to help renovate the areas of the Pub that needed tending as well as their own flat above the Pub. The problem is that modern clubs and Pubs are forcing older Pub's like this one into closing or pressuring owners to sell their establishments to them." Miles growled darkly clearly agitated by what was occurring here at home.

"Easy mate I can promise you all of that's about to change. You see by declaring this building a historic landmark those rotters will have to bugger off. The royal seal on your front doors will lure patrons here in droves that with the trust will assure that this Pub will have the means to keep Macanny's running for generations to come." Henry placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Not to mention it's gonna be a source for takeaway for my sisters when they crave fish and chips or meat pies again here in London." Harry grinned. "The food smells fantastic."

"It's my parent's prizewinning recipes past down for generations. Thanks for helping me Mum and Dad, it means a lot to me that they're able to enjoy their lives stress free…" Miles was interrupted by his parents emerging from the kitchen with the takeaway order in a wicker hamper.

"Here you are Your Majesty and Your Highness everything you need to soothe your loves and a little something sweet to make them smile." Milly handed Wills that wicker hamper.

"Miles has an invite to the reception. He's been my loyal confidant since Eton, St. Andrews, Sandhurst and guard since graduation. We'd be delighted if the two of you would join him. You both have done an enormous service and given us a piece of our Mum back, since she loved to frequent this Pub during her youth. This place is a diamond in the rough, among flashy fake franchises, and will be preserved as such for generations to come." Wills gave them the good news.

"Your Majesty we don't know what to say…" Milly got teary eyed. "You boys do her proud."

"We strive to make her proud of everything we do. Preserving London's history and traditions shall be one of my priorities as King. This fine establishment will be the first of many to be protected from corporate sharks." Wills was forming a plan of attack in his mind, but managed a reassuring smile.

"No way…" Harry was staring at a framed photo of Rose and The Doctor sharing chips and then another of him and her first incarnation.

"Oh that's The Doctor and his lovely Rose…" Milo saw who he was gaping at.

"Times up the natives and royal upstarts are near revolt." The man in question opened the doors to the Pub with his sonic screwdriver. "Milo, Milly, Miles how delightful to see you again." He smiled in delight.

"Stop by for another Royal wedding?" Milo arched a brow at him.

"No Rose and I are settling here. I'm on Holiday from my other line of work for the next fifty years or so." He proudly flashed his wedding band. "We're even starting a brood of our own."

"Good your line of work is too dangerous…" Milly frowned.

"Yeah, but where's the fun if it's not a little thrilling." Rose had followed him and stepped into the Pub. "Hello all…long time no see cutie." She winked at Miles.

"So you've changed again I see." Milo was very much aware of whom The Doctor and Rose were. They had rescued him and his father when he was a young lad.

"Vampires will do that to a girl." Rose hugged Milly.

"Much too dangerous," Milly shot the Doctor a scathing look.

"I'm Lord Jonathan Ulysses Rohan Galloway and a Doctor of the highest rank in several scientific fields and this is my beautiful bride Lady Renee Rosalyn Jacqueline Tyler-Galloway. Jack Harkness, believe it or not, my great-great grandson is very good at what he does." He walked over to the wall of memories. "This takes me back…this is right after I met my Rose."

"Milly you snapped us every time we've visited the Pub…Oh I want copies of these."

"We often do that for the family and friends wall. Jack's a strange one, but then anyone running that Torchwood would have to be and he's got you in his blood. Franc and Beau are even more of a puzzle, but dears nonetheless. I reckon being of two worlds is a might trying on a person." Milly eyed Harry, Draco, Logan, and Kane with a knowing look.

"Actually, we prefer our world hands down over this one. It's far less complicated." Harry shrugged his shoulders as letters and quills appeared in his. "Do sign that a friend of Franc, Beau, the Doctor, Rose, and the family of Miles is good enough for me.

Milo and Milly took the letters signed them with the quills and as normal the letters and the quills vanished.

"Now you'll be able to chat with your parents freely." Harry glanced down at his watch. "That should help matters immensely…"

"Daddy! How long does it take to get takeaway for Aunt Rory and Aunt Dromi?" Dani growled at him from her Uncle Ron's arms, as he opened the front doors to the Pub followed by Franc.

"She was getting antsy and this was better than her jinxing the press anymore than she already has." Ron shrugged.

"This is a disaster a travesty! How could you do this to me?" Franc snarled at Wills and Henry. "Any of us could have gone out for takeaway after you arrived at the palace!"

"Franc what's done is done now calm down. Dani what part of stay in the carriage with your mother did you not understand?" Harry took Dani from Ron, as he tried to rein in Franc.

"Forty minutes is forever with everyone staring at us and snapping photos or taking videos of us which I hate! It was either Uncle Ron took me to you or I was going to really take my frustration and boredom out on those pests." Dani scowled.

"Franc, Mum and Dad are attending the reception and haven't a clue what to wear." Miles knew exactly how to handle Franc.

Franc took out his phone and speed dialed a number. "Frankie we have a situation…" He held the phone away from his ear. "No nothing like that just tell Rory and Dromi the boy's will be out with their lunch in a few minutes…I need your help…Please…" He ground out through gritted teeth before ending the call.

"Miles we'll see you and your parents later." Wills and Henry left the Pub followed by Kane, Logan, Draco, Ron, Rose, and The Doctor.

The crowd outside went wild.

"Franc they've signed the nondisclosure agreement, so that's no longer an obstacle. Frankie can use magic if she needs to." Harry turned to smile at Milly, Miles, and Milo. "Trust me you're in excellent hands. Dani and I have a carriage to catch, so we shall see you at the Palace." Harry left the Pub and the crowd grew even louder with cheers.

--

Wills and Henry made their way down the street to the carriage. There was a cool breeze, so Rory and Dromi were comfortable.

"We've got your takeaway, but you'll have to settle for eating it at the palace all right." Wills set the hamper up beside Niles before sitting beside his Queen.

"I love you." Rory laid her head against his shoulder and sighed contently.

"You spoil me. I love you so much." Dromi smiled as Henry sat down next to her.

"No more using the word we, all right at least for the rest of the weekend" Henry kissed her hand. "I love you more."

The carriage was once again on its way to the palace.

"Miles sends his regards, it was his parents who took mercy on us and provided your takeaway." Wills cradled her face between his hands and kissed her.

"Miles seemed underdressed and a bit upset at least that's how it looked like on the monitor. Was he flirting with Nanda?" Rory was once again smiling and waving again.

"Nanda sure seemed taken with him." Dromi grinned.

"We'll find out at our reception. He and his parents are going to be attending tonight." Henry grinned.

"Well at least the two of them have finally met, now the rest if up to them." Wills was well aware of his best mate's fondness for Nanda and was hopeful the two would hit it off.

--

"This had better be good Francis…" Frankie stalked into the Pub she loved and visited often. To her surprise she found herself bear hugged by Miles.

"Frankie! I didn't know that you were back!" He twirled her around in his arms.

"Miles? You're here. I thought the Army still had its claws in you." Frankie hugged him back.

"And I thought the Yanks had you anchored in your fancy dress shop across the pond. Desi come with too or did she stay with her fancy salon?" Miles finished off the question with a sound kiss to her mouth, just as Nanda popped back into the Pub to catch an interview with the family.

Nanda walked over to the bar noticing the pitcher of ice water sitting there on the highly polished mahogany, and picked it up. _How dare he blatantly flirt with me and then snog Frankie ten minutes later! The jerk needs to cool off._ She fumed.

Franc sat down to watch the fireworks. "Nanda what a delightful surprise…you just missed the others." He greeted her with a smile.

"I decided that Captain Macanny and his family would make a lovely story to add to this special day. This lovely piece of history is loved by many Londoners, who told me the Macanny's have been pressured to sell by some corporate nontraditional git." She growled at Franc now just inches from her targets.

Miles eyed her warily.

Frankie, who on seeing the fire in Nanda's eyes, tried to get free of him.

"So Miles I'll let you take that chat with Nanda while I see what Francis needs."

"Oh no hurry Georgette, I can get an idea of what Milly wants to wear and already have a look in mind for Milo for the reception at the Palace tonight." Franc was clearly enjoying the show.

"I can explain…" Miles finally found his voice and let Frankie go over by his parents.

"Explain?" Nanda narrowed her eyes at him. "Captain what you do or who you do anything with is not my concern, but playing Officer Cad by sending mixed signals deliberately at me is!" She dumped the pitcher of ice water over his head. "Iceman my ass! You are as much of a player as the rest of them! I'll come back to interview your parents…I thought you might be different from the rest of the lot! You really had me fooled!!" She stalked over and set the pitcher back on the bar, only to have her arm grabbed by a fuming Miles. "Let go of my arm Captain." She glared defiantly up at him.

"Not until you listen…" Miles tone was lethally soft.

"I have no desire to listen to anything you have to say!" She seethed in fury. _He had the insolence to touch her let alone ask anything of her._

"Frankie and I grew up together…"

"Good for you! Have a nice reunion! Now let me go!" She hauled off and punched him in the eye and then got him in the nose with her second blow effectively getting him to release her arm and having him seeing stars for a second or two.

"BLOODY HELL, WOMAN THAT HURT! FRANKIE IS MY COUSIN! MY MOTHER IS A PREWETT AND A LITTLE SISTER TO HER MUM! SON OF A BITCH YOU GAVE ME A BLACK EYE AND I THINK YOU MAY HAVE BROKEN ME NOSE!" Miles roared down at her, as he caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror behind the bar.

Nanda took a few steps backwards towards the door. "Cousins…" She risked a glance over at Frankie.

"Cousins," She nodded. "He hasn't seen me in months and only a handful of times while he was in New York on assignment at the embassy. I can assure you that Miles is nothing that you accused him of, not that I blame you it did look dodgy."

"Miles Malcolm is very much an officer and a gentleman." Milly assured the lovely young woman ready to flee at a moments notice from her soaking wet furious son.

"We Macanny are an enthusiastic lot particularly when greeting a loved one." Milo grinned. "Can't forget hot tempered. He gets that from his Mother's side of the family. The missus and I would be happy to give you an interview…Miles will as well when he cools off a bit."

"That would be wonderful and we'll schedule it soon. Now isn't good since you need to get ready for the reception and I need to um…" Nanda was blushing crimson under her bronze complexion and needed to go somewhere. Anywhere but there with Miles eyeing her with barely leashed fury and something else that scared her witless. "Go to the Palace and check on Rory and Dromi." She took out her wand focused on a location and with a loud crack she vanished before Miles could grab her.

"You can run Nanda, but you can't hide forever." Miles himself could easily do magic, but he kept that to himself only Wills, Henry, and a few others were aware of it. "Mum…Dad… Ms. Lewis gets the only interview everyone else can hang for all I care."

"Miles you tread lightly with her. She's been burned too many times to trust anyone anymore." Frankie shot him a warning glare.

"You and Franc focus on Mum and Dad…" Miles got some ice and a towel and set it on his nose.

"Miles I mean it."

"She sure as bloody hell didn't seem fragile to me…"

"MILES!"

"All right Frankie you win! I'll play nice!" Miles stalked to the staircase at the back of the Pub and headed to his flat on the top floor.

--

"Frankie focus on Milo and Milly and leave him be." Franc growled.

"Let's see a nice silk trouser suit in soft peach with all the accessories to match should be lovely." Frankie focused on her Aunt and in an instant she was dressed and ready for the reception. "A smart suit should be just the thing for Uncle Milo and compliment Aunt Milly's outfit." Milo was now dressed to hobnob as well.

"Brilliant Frankie," Franc was eager to return to the palace. "I'll have a car sent for the three of you in a few hours."

"Would you relax. You prepared for every contingency the rest of the day will be fine." Frankie rolled her eyes at him.

"Franc you've done a smashing job. The wedding was beautiful and so will the reception. Frankie dear, these are lovely outfits, and you did a smashing job in designing their gowns. I especially loved the shorter train; anything else would have been overkill. I could tell that their husbands loved it too, it gave the princes the opportunity to carry them up the steps." Milly praised them both.

"I can't take all the credit. Kate and the princesses Great-Gran had a say in the design. Rory and Dromi had the final say we had two versions one with long trains and ones without." Frankie hugged them both.

"Wills and Henry both insisted on the smaller train, because of concern for their brides delicate conditions. So if anyone had the final say it was them. Rory's a month further along than Dromi is, so Wills is in as Dani would say 'Protective mode major'. Particularly, now that he can see the signs of her pregnancy do to their sudden urge to grow overnight. It's common with the Pendragon bloodline for events like that to occur. The unborn babes also tend to torment their fathers more so than their mothers. Especially, when the word 'we' is used by the mother-to-be. The result is usually the father having to worship the loo or live on very little food for much their wife's pregnancy, while their wife breezes through with nary a day or two of morning sickness." Franc explained to Milly and Milo, who nodded and gaped at him in response.

"After the terrible loss of our brothers to the war against the Dark Lord and his Deatheaters the lot of us Prewett's fled the Wizarding World for this one and left that world far behind vowing never to return. Molly chose to marry Arthur Weasley after that our family was less one member. Miles was kept away from Hogwarts regardless of his getting a letter, out of fear that I would lose him too, so he went to Eton, then to St. Andrews, and finally Sandhurst. I used my trust to give him what he was entitled a first-rate education and invested the rest smartly to give him a sizable trust of his own." Milly came clean about her heritage, something she swore she would never do.

"Mum don't you think it's time for you to see your sister again? Ron was just here a while ago and he's Aunt Molly's youngest son." Miles descended the stairs freshly showered and in full military dress for the occasion.

"There's Bill who's married to Fleur Delacour and they have a lovely little girl named Daria. Charlie who married Franc's cousin Nymphadora Tonks and they have little Matt. Fred married Katie Bell they have daughter Fiona and twin newborn sons Kevin and Kyle. His twin brother George married Trista Monet and they have Tabitha and newborn sons Gavin and Galen. Ron married Luna Lovegood-Pendragon and they have twin boys Ryan and Tyler. Lastly, but far from least is Ginny. She married Draco Pendragon-Black and they have a son Darien James…" Frankie gave her a who's who on Molly's brood and was interrupted by Franc.

"Frankie."

"What is it Francis." She frowned annoyed that he had interrupted her.

"I know that he's an arse most of the time and was a traitor for a year or two, but Percy is one of Molly's sons, so you can't just leave him out." Franc shot her a look.

"Damn I was so close and you had to bring that up. I can't stand the upstart git, but yes Percy is the third oldest son. He married Penelope Clearwater and they have a son named Thaddeus or Tad poor little soul." Frankie wrinkled her nose with disgust.

"Be nice Georgette it's been seven years since his three year stint as Minister Fudge's stooge, Ginny is expecting twin girls, Luna a little girl, Fleur a son, and Dora a little girl." Franc tried to rein in Frankie adding that little bit as well.

"My word has my big sister been blessed." Milly had avoided the Harry Potter books and the movies, so this was all news to her.

"Surely you can't have avoided all the press and what have you or the books and movies…" Franc eyed her in disbelief.

"Auntie here was trained that anything Wizarding was taboo. My parents practically had a coronary when Desi and I chose to attend Hogwarts and be privately tutored in Muggle classes during summer holiday, so we both got O's on our wizarding tests and A's on our Muggle GCSE'S and A Levels. Yet another reason we went studying across the pond and stayed away from Mummy and Daddy's stifling auras." Frankie rolled her eyes at Franc.

"I barely remember my oldest sister. Mum and Dad disowned her after she chose to marry some worthless nobody instead of the bloke they had chosen for her to marry. I believe his name was Lucius Malfoy. The only time I saw him he gave me the shivers. He was furious with my parents for allowing Weasley to marry his prize and threatened to make them pay dearly for their mistake. It took him years, but he did exact his revenge. My older brothers Fabian and Gideon were rookie Aurors and died in the line of duty during some mission to take down the Dark Lord. After that Mum and Dad pulled up roots and we never returned to that big grand old manor again. They banned anything magic; it was as if that part of them had died inside with my brothers. Marcella was the oldest child and I was their youngest. My brothers and oldest sister were never mentioned again. Marcie followed orders and married Mitch Carstairs making them proud. I fell in love with my Milo, a mere Pub owner, in their eyes a nobody, but to mine he was my world." Milly smiled lovingly at Milo.

"And you mine." Milo brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"Molly and Lucius, god I'm going to be ill! The very thought of that makes my skin crawl!" Franc shuttered.

"Mum was furious at Desi and I for choosing Hogwarts, but it gave us a chance to learn the truth over all the lies and meet some lovely friends. Percy was an annoying git, but the twins were a breath of fresh air during our final year." Frankie smiled.

"Bill's a pirate/treasure hunter, Charlie's like the Crocodile Hunter, Percy's all business, Fred and George are the Richard Branson's of their world." Miles smirked.

"No more like Bill Gates, Donald Trump, and Branson combined." Frankie corrected him.

"That's very true Weasley Wizard Wheezes Inc. Is a smashing success and family run to boot. They are one of the wealthiest families in the Wizarding World with close ties to the royal families of both worlds." Franc nodded.

"Ron is Prince Ron and is the best mate and right hand of Prince Harry Pendragon. Lastly Ginny is Princess Ginny and is a Healer specializing on little ones." Frankie finished her update on her Aunt's kids.

"Arthur is head of the Department of Interworld Magical/Muggle Cooperation; a member of the Council of Wizards, the Wizengamot, and on the School board of governors of both the primary schools and Hogwarts. Molly is teaching at the primary school as well as sits on the School board of governors of both the primary schools and Hogwarts. Miles left out that Charlie is a professor at Hogwarts and teaches Care of Magical Creatures as well as looks after the Dragon Colony there. I'm sure you'll be seeing them tonight. The whole family is at the palace for the celebrations." Franc noticed the time and swore. "Frankie and I have to dash."

"We'll see you in a few hours." Frankie took Franc by the arm and apparated from the Pub.

--

Chapter 19

Confrontations

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	19. Confrontations

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 19

Confrontations

--

It's amazing what one slip of the tongue can cause...its rather short chapter wise, but I hope you'll like it.

--

"Did you see the new sweets that Fred and George invented? Dani and Ally were squaring off in the playroom over her actions today. Fred handed them a mint cream as a distraction, or I thought they were just regular sugar-free sweets. But seconds after the girls popped them into their mouths Ally and Dani were all smiles again." Bastion was on Moria withdrawal, because she hadn't been able to attend the festivities because of her coming down with a nasty late summer cold that not even Pepper-up potion could completely heal. So he was Harry and Hermione's eyes and ears around the little ones. He'd left Binky, Sean, Alan, Ami, Donavan, and Bree to keep an eye on them, so he could visit with his parents.

"They call them Merry Mints and yes they're brilliant and nice to have in handy on days like this one." Harry smiled at Bastion.

"Really Harry, one mustn't rely on candies and such to keep your girls in order." Katherine Granger chided him.

"Excuse me?" Harry narrowed his eyes at his mother-in-law not believing what she had just said. "I do not resort to using narcotics of any sort to rein in my kids. The sweets contain nothing of a sort and merely have a Cheering Charm casted on them!" Harry, no longer wishing to be around his in-laws, vanished before he did something rash.

"I can assure the both of you that a Cheering Charm casted on anything is harmless and most certainly nothing like Muggle prescription drugs or any drug for that matter." Lily kept her tone neutral, but temper flashed in her darkening emerald green eyes. "Drugs are the easy way and that's not what we do in our world at all and never with our children."

"Harry and Hermione have lived thirteen years or so without anything of the sort and he would never do anything like that to his girls!" Molly was furious.

"No that's their parental method of operation when dealing with a high-strung magically gifted child." Bastion muttered darkly.

"Sebastian Alexander!" His parents exclaimed in disapproval.

"We only followed what the doctors though best for Sabrina; it was most certainly not to rein her in." Alexander glared at his son.

"Muggle doctors clueless on how to treat a wizarding toddler, but then you were both too proud to even listen to Nana. She told you exactly what was up with Bree!" Bastion checked his statement.

"Your sister was physically ill. Magic had nothing to do with it, so we took her to where she could be properly treated." Katherine narrowed her eyes at her son. "The treatment worked, so enough is enough young man, and you will lower your tone."

"That's a bunch of tripe! Nana and I worked with her for nearly a year until the pills weren't needed any more! The Muggle doctors did nothing to help her develop the blocks in her mind to shut out all the noise! All those pills did was make Bree dossal and easier for the two of you to handle. Bree happens to be extremely gifted with the powers of the mind and is ultrasensitive to everyone around her. Want to know why she never cries? She's empathic as hell and pretty much has to keep her emotions in check or suffer with the migraines again! You see at three she was walking a mental tightrope and your brilliant thinking damn near destroyed her!" Bastion after years of pent up feelings towards his parents let his feelings fly.

Katherine couldn't understand the things that her son was snarling at them and shot back in denial. "You're wrong! Sabrina was a happy well-behaved little girl…"

"She wasn't Bree, not by a long shot, until Nana and I led her back to us and got her out of the shell that those pills had caged her in! You know what screw this and screw you! I'm out of here!" Bastion vanished.

--

"The lad is right. You could have destroyed your daughter and for what because the Muggle doctors were clueless about what was ailing your child and as is their practice decided that prescribing drugs was the only way to solve the problem." Merlin looked up from what he was reading and glared at the two of them.

"What else were we to think?! Let alone do!? She was hurting! The pills solved that and that's then end of it!" Alex ground out through gritted teeth.

"Are you that daft or just holding a grudge against the world that gypped you of magic and costed you the lives of your friends? Mattie would have taken her to St. Mungo's where I would have solved Bree's problem, in the gentlest way possible, by linking with her and helping her put up protective barriers to block out everyone's thoughts and feelings around her. It might have been a slower process, but it would have been easier on Bree and less of a trauma on her fragile mind." Gene wasn't the least bit pleased by what she was hearing and spoke up.

"You have some nerve saying that or even thinking that about Harry!" Hermione stalked into the Common Room. "The two of us are tenfold the parents you are!"

"Hermione Anne Diana you will not speak to us that way!" Alex glowered at his oldest child.

"Yes grown or not you will mind your tone!" Katherine snapped.

"How dare you use that with me! Nana raised me not you and after age fourteen it was Aunt Molly!" Hermione seethed in fury. "For your information all a Cheer Charm can do is harmlessly persuade someone out of a foul mood. They're wonderful to use when one gets melancholy, moody at certain times of the month, or to defuse a tense situation between two people!"

Katherine and Alex's faces were growing more and more flushed, but neither said a word.

"Harry and I have been parents to teenagers these past few summers long before our scheduled time, while you both went on sojourn across the globe. This summer we've dealt with Animagus teenagers in love, and this past July Harry tangled with Tom Riddle again for the final time. I don't blame him for fancying this sweet in the least. I could have used them myself when Dani was taken and then not long after that when she was seriously hurt do to a backlash from trying to help her best friend. Now add Dani and me switching places the day after his birthday and it's a wonder that he doesn't have it stockpiled at home. My moods, since the boys were born, have been a turmoil of ups and downs, it's a wonder he stayed sane. Not once mind you did he even think of casting a Cheering Charm on me!" Hermione didn't wait for them to react she vanished to go check on her brother.

--

"Operation Smile is an extremely important organization…" Katherine was reeling from the tongue-lashing that her children had given her.

"It's our way of doing our part." Alex kept his tone low.

"Yes, it's a brilliant charily that's needed in the world, but you're missing your children's lives. You only made it to the birth of Jamie and Rafe because they decided to share Wills birthday with him instead of their father's." James wasn't happy with the two of them either.

"Bastion and Bree are well-rounded young adults now…"

"The twins are still in school not out of the nest. Parenting doesn't stop ever. Your children are your kids for life! You're supposed to be there for them always! I can't believe I'm hearing this…You've turned into my Uncle!" Wills had left watching over a napping Rory, to see what all the fuss was about.

"I am nothing like my cousin!" Alex glared murderously at Wills.

"Parental skills wise, yeah, you are. He left us to be raised by nannies so he could go off as he pleased, only to spend time with us to make nice with Gran or the press!" Henry snarled seeing his cousins in an entirely new light.

"I don't know why this attitude should surprise me any. You had Aunt Mattie and Aunt Molly raise Hermione, while you focused on your lives or the twins. Then even after the dark times were over or you're near death experience nothing really changed did it. Oh you tried to change, make a go of it, appeared on request. But jumped at the first opportunity to send the twins off camping with Kate's family for a month, and then headed across the pond for a month long Holiday. All of this mind you just before Hermione was due to give birth to the girls. Did it inconvenience you that much to be there for your oldest daughter? It's no wonder that she honored Aunt Mattie over you that fall." Wills snarled coldly.

"Kids aren't baggage. They happen to be living breathing images of their parents. Not meant to be a chore handed off to the help or a trusted member of the family. They need guidance, love, nurturing, discipline, and understanding from their parents and should always come first over duty or career." Henry had his say.

"Donavan's parents left him with James and Lily this summer…" Alex ground out through gritted teeth.

--

"Donnie's parents area always in contact with him. He gets to talk with them twice a day. They'll drop everything to see to his needs, all he has to do is ask." Bree stood just inside the archway beside her twin.

"Do you resent our being magical that much? Is it worth missing all of our lives? So what if you're both squibs, no one cares if you can wield magic or not! Dani got kidnapped and all you did was call Hermione instead of jumping on the jet and coming home! It's no wonder that she never told you about Dani getting seriously hurt in July. You both suck at being parents, but the crazy thing is that we still love you faults and all! I mean are we that much of a load to even spend two weeks with us or at least half of our summer holiday!? No forget it I already know that answer a documentary is more important than us!" Bastion vanished again.

"Yeah, there are kids all over the world in need. We get that! And what you did is fantastic, but we're your kids a part of you and it hurts like hell to watch a documentary on the Telly of the two of you interacting with all of those kids! Hugging them, consoling them, playing football or other games with them, as if you don't have a care in the world! Calling them your kids…While you missed our seventeenth birthday!" Bree ignored the tears streaming down her cheeks. "We're your kids to damn it! We matter too! Every summer it's the same! I mean why do we even have bedrooms at home? It's not like we ever get to use them! Bastion is right you cosmically suck as Parents!!" Bree ran from the room in tears.

"Well don't just sit there and wallow. Your kids finally spelled out how they feel now go after them and sort it all-out!" James stood up and pointed to the archway.

"Are they correct in assuming that you resent them because of their magic?" Mab wasn't at all pleased with them no not pleased at all; thoughts of banishing them to a deserted island came to mind.

"Yes are they?" Merlin narrowed his eyes at them, as he thought about sending them to the Arctic for a few hours.

"They're thriving without us…How can we possibly compete with that?" Alex buried his face in his hands. "Bree has her buildings and Bastion has his animals…Hermione doesn't need us anymore, look at her she's flourishing…"

"Are you daft in the head? Did you catch some weird jungle disease in Africa? This isn't a frickin contest or competition! All they need or want is for you to just be there for them!" Sirius resisted the urge to throttle his friend.

--

"I think that you two need to know exactly everything that you've missed about the twins. Sabrina's on magical restriction since Harry's birthday for taking her temper out on Bastion and Donavan and she's still smarting about that. Sebastian took your precious Aston Martin and wrapped it around a tree, all because the two of you ditched their seventeenth birthday and sent them money instead. He came out of it with a nasty headache, but I'm afraid your precious classic is no more. He recorded your two weeklong documentary on the Telly just so the two of them could see or hear you when they missed you or longed to see your faces. I'm used to it…after all Nana raised me, but the two of them basically had you from day one that was until the day they entered Hogwarts, after that you slowly weaned them out of your lives." Hermione having seen the state of her siblings returned to deal with their parents. "Harry and I have become surrogate parents for them. We're their sounding boards or who they turn to for guidance and comfort. Don't look so shocked it wasn't like you were planning to fill the void that you'd left and we happen to give a damn about them and what's happening in their lives."

"Hermione…"

"It's true! You've missed milestones in all of our lives! Oh you spend quality time when it's convenient or the occasion calls for it, but other than that you enjoy being background parents. It doesn't work that way! You can't set us aside just so you can fulfill your philanthropic duties! So what if we're magical and your not! You're our parents! Harry risked everything to give you both a second chance and for what only to have you go back to the same pattern with the twins! Magic is a responsibility, but parenting trumps that by a millionfold. Franc is a squib, but I've never seen him use that as an excuse to stray from his duties, life, or family for that mater. Is what Bree said true? Do you fault us because we're magical and you're not and as soon as we get our letters your job is over and it's up to someone more magical in the family to raise us?! I wish you were magical that you could feel the magic, have a taste of just how much work and responsibility it entails. Franc is such a sweetie and has earned his magic and should be given that choice too…then you would have no choice but to pay attention to all of us!"

"Wish granted." Mab and Merlin approved of the request.

"Oh yeah, damn right wish granted in spades." Harry appeared out of the shadows and pulled Hermione into his arms. "But we'll break it to Franc first."

"Break what to me? What's with this bad juju? This is a joyous day for our lovebirds, so enough with the dark foreboding clouds and melancholy nonsense!" Franc glared at Katherine and Alex. "So what if you're both inept parents. You will have to hash this out with your kids..."

"Franc did you ever wished to be magical?" Harry cut into his rant.

"Don't be daft dear boy, of course every day of my life, but I came to terms with being who I am years ago and am past it. What does that have to do with Kathy and Alex being lousy backseat parents?" Franc threw his arms up in frustration.

"So you would fancy being able to do magic."

"What are you severely sleep deprived or something?! Take one of Fred and George's Wakie Wakie's and be done with it! Of course I would love to be able to wield magic! Now answer the goddamned question!"

"Part of the problem is the lack of being able to wield magic where as my wife and her siblings can. The point being is that Lord and Lady Granger despise being inept or second fiddle at anything…"

"Go on."

"So the solution to this problem is to bring magic back into their lives by igniting the spark of magic inside them." Hermione finished.

"Me able to wield magic…" Franc was all smiles now. "Forever and always?"

"Yes Franc forever and always." Hermione hugged him. "You have been a godsend to all of us and have more than earned your right to have that magical ember inside you rekindled a squib you should never have been."

"Very true my dear, but by being a squib Franc has learned a valuable lesson that of humility which many of the greatest of our kind never learn. Humility is a bitter pill for any wizard or witch to swallow." Merlin was only too happy to rekindle Franc's magic.

"Magical or not one needs determination and drive to survive in either world. I intend to continue my life as is, even though magic is a fantastic addition to it. I've tried the Kwikspell correspondence course and watched everyone all of my life, so I know the hows and what not to do's by heart." Franc was on cloud nine.

--

"Francis Tonks, they need that brilliant limitless mind of yours to keep this all on course. Guests are starting to arrive, two in particular are in the library, while the other is looking for his quarry…Rory and Dromi are still napping and everyone in here looks tense." Frankie appeared beside Franc instantly sensing a change. "And obviously three of you are now very much magical in nature…"

"Rory and Dromi can nap as long as they please. The key to any great soirée is excellent cuisine and to keep the bubbly flowing. Do this and all of your guests will be all smiles. Molly there are two people waiting for you in the library that you and Arthur should meet. Boy's your guests await, as for the very magical, Hermione's wish was granted, and a lesson needed to be taught to Kathy and Alex." Franc was all business once more.

"Um, what about Miles?" Frankie hissed in his ear.

"She stepped in it let the games begin. After all, she did douse him with ice water, blacken his eye, and bloody his nose…" Franc hissed back.

"No way not possible…Miles got creamed by a girl!? Who?!" Harry, Wills, and Henry's curiosity was peaked.

"None of your concern. Now we've a long weekend ahead of us, tensions are high, tempers are on slow boil, but all of you have a job to do, and that's supporting Wills, Rory, Dromi, and Henry. So grit your teeth and plaster fake smiles on your faces. Take a Merry Mint or two if you must and above all put all of your personal issues aside." Franc put his foot down.

"Sorry Franc we'll behave as ordered." Harry saluted him as did Wills and Henry.

"Bastion and Bree need us." Alex and Kath got up to go check on their babies. "We've got much catching up to do with all of you." They paused to hug their daughter.

"We'll talk later, now go the twins need their mum and dad." Hermione hugged them back. "Harry and I have our own to go look in on."

"Yes let's go check on our little ones." Harry pulled her close and the two of them vanished.

"We've got guests to see to." Wills and Henry left.

"And so do Arthur and me." Molly arched a curious brow at Franc. "Any hints?"

"No it's a surprise now off you go." Franc smiled and they left. "Now as for the rest of you go check on your napping wives or your little ones and make sure that they are all picture-perfect in an hour's time."

Everyone but Mab and Merlin left.

"Thank you for…"

"Happy Birthday Francis we were happy to grant you your wish." Mab smiled.

"You now have the ability to venture out of your shell and go wherever life takes you and since you're always among the mortals I've added the ability for you to use wandless magic and wandless travel. You earned it my boy, now go command your army." Merlin chuckled when Franc did a happy jig of sorts and vanished in a flash of white and purple tinted light.

"Excuse me. I've got some last minute errands to do before everything gets going here." Frankie vanished in a flash of violet and hot pink tinted light.

"That was very sweet of you dearest."

"After the tireless hours that he's put in to make this weekend shine for the family he deserves to have his day celebrated as well." Mab smiled.

--

Chapter 20

How blue is your blood

--

I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	20. How blue is your blood

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 20

How blue is your blood

--

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving I know two months plus no chapter well here ya go...Happy reading…Just a little addition to the chapter to end some of the confusion. ShiaShadow asked for it. Here is the updated version of the list something just to give you the scope of characters in this saga and the details on my timeline here is the character list.

**Wizarding World Player List **

**(According to Age Seniority excluding Avalon aka Merlin and the others ... And this is my timeline not canon!)**

--

Lord Doctor Jonathan Ulysses Rohan Galloway (March 6, ??... 10th regeneration 1000+ years and counting) –m- Lady Renee "Rose" Rosalyn Jacqueline (April 21, 1987)

--Children--

Peter Jonathan Ulysses (2011?)

Rosie Susan Patience(2011?)

-- Great-Grandson it's complicated by Doctors Granddaughter Susan--Captain Jonathan Jackson Harkness (March 6, 2225)

--

Dobby (June 28, ?)-m-Winky ( July 20, ?)

--Children--

Piper Mione (Sept 5, 2009)

--

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Oct 31, 1840) -m- Minerva Amelia Minuette McGonagall (October 4, 1922)

--Children--

Maxwell Albus Brian Alexander (Feb 31, 1965)

--

Rubeus Hagrid ( Dec 6, 1928) -m- Olympe Maxime (Dec 25, 1940)

--Children--

Jacen Rubeus (May 12, 2006)

--

Lady Ginevra Molly Marcella Prewett (1931) -m- Lord Giles Fredrick Charles Prewett (1929)

--Children--

Molly Ginevra Fredericka

Marcella Marie Georgette

Mildred "Milly" Ginevra Molly

--

Stephen James Galen Godric Potter-Pendragon (Feb 2, 1945)–m- Anastasia Aurora Marie Lorelei (April 12, 1945)

--Children--

James Harry Stephen Arthur Michael (April 1, 1965)

Guinevere Jenna Marie Lorelei (Feb 5, 1969)

--

Arthur George William Weasley -m- Molly Ginevra Fredericka Prewett

--Children--

William "Bill" Gideon Arthur (Nov 29, 1967 )

Charlie Fabian Arthur (December 12 ,1969)

Percy Ignatius Arthur (August 22, 1983)

Fredrick "Fred" Arthur Charles (April 1, 1985)

George William Arthur (April 1, 1985)

Ronald Bilius Arthur (March 1, 1987)

Ginevra "Ginny" Molly Elizabeth (Aug 11, 1988)

--

Lady Marcella Marie Prewett (1960) -m- Lord Mitchell Warren Carstairs (1950)

--Children--

Georgette Francesca "Frankie" (1980)

Frederica Desiree (1980)

--

Mildred "Milly" Ginevra Prewett-Macanny (1962) -m- Milo Peter Macanny (1960)

--Children--

Captian Miles Malcolm Macanny (1982)

--

James Harry Stephen Arthur Michael-m- Lily Rosalyn Marie Evans (Jan 1, 1965)

--Children--

Katherine Aurora Lily Elizabeth and Andromeda Marie Lorelei Michelle (Aug 30, 1984)

Harry James Merlin (July 31, 1987)

Draco Sirius Lancelot Black adopted (Sept 19, 1987)

Lunette Serena Diana Lovegood adopted (August 11,-88)

Michael James Andrew and Isabella Madeline Guinevere (4-01-05)

Lily Allura Guinevere (Jan 2011)

--

Sirius Lancelot Phineas Nigellus Black-Du Lac (March 21, 1965)-m-Guinevere Jenna Marie Lorelei

--Children--

Liam Galen Harry James and Juliet Lucille Hermione Ann (April 1, 2005)

Lancelot Sirius Nigellus (Jan 2011)

--

Remus Jay Nathaniel Andrew (March 10, 1965) –m- Genevieve Natalie Jennifer (Feb 14,1965)

--Children--

Nathaniel Remus Harry James Lupin (April 1, 2005)

Starla Natalie Genevieve (Jan 2011)

--

Maxwell Albus Brian Alexander Dumbledore -m- Angelique Harley Danielle Quinn (June 1, 1965)

--Children--

Logan Albus Percival Brian (May 31, 1984)

Alexandra "Lexi" Amelia Minerva Minuette (Feb 17,1987)

Bianca Brianna Angelique Danielle (June 2, 1993)

Victoria Lorelei Elizabeth Marie (June 20,2006)

--

Severus Samuel Princeton Snape (Jan 9, 1965) and Sibyll Calista Abigail Trelawney (Jan 5, 1966)

--Children--

Cynthia Raven Samantha (Nov 22, 2005)

Christopher Samuel Severus(?)

--

Lord Alexander Rafferty Sebastian Granger -m- Lady Katherine Hermione Sabrina Spencer(1965)

--Children--

Hermione Ann Diana (Sept. 19, 1986)

Sabrina "Bree" Alexis (August 4, 1993)

Sebastian "Bastion" Alexander (August 4, 1993)

--

Regulus Alphard Leonardo Nigellus (Nov 29, 1966)-m-Princess Dahlia Titania Candace Angelica (Nov 12,2004)

--Children--

Candace Angelica Mab (Nov 12, 2004)

Leonardo "Leo" Regulus Nigellus (December 24, 2008)

--

Francis Abel Dominic Tonks (Aug 21, 1970)

--

Gideon Beauregard Lockhart (March 17, 1970)

--

William "Bill" Gideon Arthur -m- Fleur Josephine Delacour (May 1, 1984)

--Children--

Daria Francie Josephine (August 10,2006)

Robert "Bobby" William Arthur

--

Charlie Fabian Arthur –m- Nymphadora Tonks (Dec 1, 1979)

--Children--

Matthew Arthur Galen (September 15,2005)

Veronica Nora Elizabeth

--

Logan Albus Percival Brian -m- Valentina Athena Diana (Feb 14,1985 )

--Children--

Oran Maxwell Conrad (September 15,2005)

Miranda Valentina Athena (Fall 2010)

--

Lotus Chang( April 24, 1980) and Kane Rai (Jan 31, 1980)

--Children--

Mai Lien Rai (September 1,2008)

--

Mackenzie "Mac" Riley Nicolas Pierce Flamel (Mar 5, 1980 )-m- Cassiopeia Marie Roberts Creevey (May 5, 1980)

--Children--

Amanda Cassandra Nicole (August 25, 2008)

--

Lord Timothy Cooper-m- Lady Delilah Cooper (1980)

--Children--

Daphne Delilah Cooper (Jan 31, 2005)

--

Nanda Sara Lewis (June 24, 1980) -m- Captain Miles Malcolm Macanny (June 24, 1982)

--

Prince William "Wills" Arthur Philip Louis Windsor-Wales (June 21, 1982 ) –m-Katherine Aurora Lily Elizabeth

--Children--

Diana Katherine Lily Elizabeth

Theodore William Andrew James (Spring 2011)

--

Percy Ignatius Arthur –m- Penelope Ellen Clearwater (Aug 22, 1983)

--Children--

Thaddeus Arthur Percival (August 31 ,2008)

--

Oliver Asher Wood (1983) –m- Lucille Allysia Bell-Wood (1979)

Willow Lucille (2001)

Ashley Olivia (2001)

--

Chase Landry (July 5,1983) –M—Parvati Neela Patil (June 2, 1987)

--Children--

Tara Neela (2010 ?)

--

Prince Henry Charles Albert David Windsor-Wales (Sept 15, 1984) –m- Andromeda Marie Lorelei Michelle

--Children--

Jessica Diana Andromeda Elizabeth (Spring 2011)

Nicholas Henry Andrew James (Spring 2011)

--

Cedric Rohan (March 17, 1984) –m- Katarina "Kate" Rachel (Jun 24, 1982)

--Children--

Rohan Cedric Amos (March 17,2006)

--

Fredrick "Fred" Arthur Charles –m- Katie Jane Bell (May 24, 1986 )

--Children--

Fiona Molly Katherine (March 21,2006)

Kevin Fredrick Harry (August 3, 2010)

Kyle Christopher Draco (August 3, 2010)

--

George William Arthur –m- Trista Melanie Monet (Feb 14, 1985)

--Children--

Tabitha Melanie Christina (March 21,2006)

Gavin Arthur George (August 2, 2010)

Galen Michael Arthur (August 2, 2010)

--

Harry James Merlin – m -- Hermione Ann Diana (Sept. 19, 1986)

--Children--

Danielle Stephanie Anastasia (Aug 28, 2005)

Amelia Lily Katherine (Aug 28, 2005)

Allysia Jamie Alexis (Aug 28, 2005)

James Alexander William Henry (Jun 21, 2010)

Rafferty Albus Arthur Merlin (Jun 21, 2010)

--

Draco Sirius Lancelot –m- Ginevra "Ginny" Molly Elizabeth

--Children--

Darien James Draco (May 1, 2006)

Serena Lily Ann (Spring 2011)

Samantha Diane Ginevra (Spring 2011)

--

Ronald Bilius Arthur –m- Lunette Serena Diana

--Children--

Ryan James Arthur and Tyler Christopher Langley (April 21, 2006)

Callista Lunette Diana (Spring 2011)

--

Seamus Riley Quinn Finnigan (March 17, 1987) --m-- Alexandra "Lexi" Amelia Minerva Minuette

--Children--

Ian Riley Brian (July 21,2006)

--

Dean Thomas (May 29,1987)--M--Padma Avani Patil (Jun 2, 1987)

--Children--

Avani Kala (2010 ?)

--

Neville Franklin Longbottom (July 30, 1987) -m- Lavender Marie Brown (August 1, 1987)

--Children--

Benjamin Neville (July 20, 2008)

--

Alan and Moria Channing (May 5, 1993)

Sean Finnegan (March 17, 1993)

Ami Chang, (May 6, 1993)

Donavan Asher Clearwater (February 5, 1993)

**Years at Hogwarts **

**(or Beauxbaton in Logan and Fleur's case...this is my timeline not in Cannon!!)**

James, Lily, Remus, and Sirius -1976-1983

Regulus – 1977-1984

Bill- 1978-1985

Beau- 1981-1988

Charlie, Jenna, - 1980-1987

Tonks, Lucy, Frankie, Desi, – 1990-1997

Mac, Cassie, Lotus -1991-1998

Percy, Penelope, Wood, -1994-2001

Cedric 1995-2002

Logan, Fleur -1995-2002 (Beauxbaton)

Fred, Trista, George, Angelina, Lee, Alicia -1996-2003

Katie Bell 1997-2004

Lexi (Beauxbaton 1998- first term 2004 then finished at Hogwarts for her second term 2005)

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Lavender, Padma, Parvati,-1998-2005

Ginny, Luna, Collin 1999-2005 (Ginny and Luna graduated during their sixth years…Collin never took his seventh year)

Dennis (2000-2007)

Bree, Bastion, Sean, Moria, Binky, Alan, and Ami -2004-2011

And now on with the story…

--

Buckingham Palace- Family Wing

Miles found his quarry feeding Jamie his bottle in the nursery and all thoughts of payback vanished from his mind. She was dressed to the nines in a burnished red silk strapless number with sexy strappy heeled Jimmy Choos and fit perfectly sitting there in the rocker quietly singing the babe in her arms to sleep.

Rafe took that moment to awaken announcing his displeasure to the world with a lusty cry for immediate attention.

Miles wasn't the least bit baby shy and therefore wasted no time going over to tend to the babe. "It's all right you tend to him, I'll see to this little guy." He glanced over at Nanda, who had been startled out of her peaceful state by his being there and by Rafe's cry for attention.

"Captain when did you arrive?" Nanda managed to barely find her voice, because Miles looked beyond hot in his military dress uniform.

"Call me Miles and to answer your question Nanda just a few minutes or so ago." He picked up Rafe and expertly cradled him against his shoulder. "Emerald eyes you must be Rafe and the spitting image of your Da. He's a mate of mine and you little man are lucky to have him for your Da." He set the babe down on the changing table and went about changing his diaper.

:Who you be?: Rafe stared up at him instantly liking this newcomer.

"Sorry that was rude of me wasn't it?" Miles heard his question in his mind and chuckled. "I'm Miles."

:Owie…Mi gots owies.: Rafe noticed his bruised and battered appearance.

"War wounds little guy…they only look bad." He dressed him in a fresh sleeper that he hand found in one of the changing table drawers. That done he once again set him against his shoulder. "So where's a bloke find a bottle around here?" He looked around spotting a bottle warming in the warmer near the table and grinned. "Fancy that little man you're not gonna starve after all." He sat down in the rocker next to Nanda.

:Who be?: Jamie stared up at his Aunt.

Nanda found herself entranced by his interactions with the two-month-old babe in his arms. "Jamie that one over there is Captain Miles. He's a best mate of your Uncle Wills and Uncle Henry." She set him on her shoulder to burp him.

:Who hurt Mi?: Jamie was wide-awake now and focused on the man sitting in the rocker beside his Aunt.

"Intuitive little wonders aren't they." Miles quirked a brow at Nanda fascinated to see how she was going to answer his question. "These two are very much like their parents."

"I'm with my boys and would love to hear what happened to cause your current state of appearance." Harry stood in the nursery doorway. "Nanda you wouldn't by chance be his quarry would you?"

Hermione walked over to take Rafe from Miles. "This one isn't much for a bottle, but you get O's for all the rest."

"I walked in on this one snogging Frankie, after that I was seeing things in a red haze." Nanda shot Miles a look. "Then he goes and does a moronic thing like grabbing my arm…"

"Yeah, I grabbed your arm, but not until after you doused me with ice water and accused me of being a cad first." Miles narrowed his eyes at her his temper was back on slow boil.

"Look on the bright side she could have made you SING." Harry took Jamie from Nanda.

"Did you deck him before or after he told you that Frankie was his cousin?" Hermione wanted more details than she was getting, so Rafe was settling for his bottle.

"Before…I hate being grabbed by anyone it sets me off and if the one in question doesn't let go after the second warning I retaliate in kind." Nanda could feel his eyes glowering at her.

"Now Miles one never mistreats a lady a simple request for her to wait would have sufficed." Hermione chided him.

"Why you little brat…" Miles muttered darkly. "I had a gentle but firm hold on her arm, while I was recovering from the shock of getting a pitcher of icy water poured over my head. She was trying to stalk off before getting the full brief on the situation. Not relishing chasing after her in my Skivvies I chose the latter. Dag's already gonna hand me my head for briefing her and A.C. in them, so the last thing I needed was to wind up on Page six or LIVE on the Telly tossing Ms. Lewis over my shoulder and back into the pub kicking and screaming no less." Miles defended his actions.

"No of course you wouldn't want that." Harry smirked.

"That would have gotten him singing soprano for a week." Nanda decided it was time to make her escape. "I've got to get my crew setup for the reception."

"Excuse us will you, the two of us need to have a chat." Miles moved with panther like speed and grace and was placing an arm around her wand slim waist.

"Captain there is nothing to discuss and I'm working so…" She was unceremoniously in the blink of an eye tossed over his shoulder.

"It can wait you and I are gonna chat and no loud screeching you'll disturb the boys." He carried her fuming form out of the nursery in Harry and Hermione's palace flat.

"Splendid, it's a match if ever I saw one." Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, that's if they don't kill each other before their first kiss." Harry chuckled.

--

Molly paused in front of the library doors. "Whatever did Franc mean, Arthur?" She frowned at her husband.

"Molly dearest, Franc has never steered any of us wrong. Now open the doors and let's meet our mystery guests." Arthur gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Molly opened the doors to the library, her heart leaped into her throat. Because what she found was her baby sister having tea with her husband, while the two sat in awe that they were sitting in the library in the private family wing of the palace. "Milly it is you isn't it?" She asked tentatively her eyes welling up with tears.

"Molly?" Milly also blinked back tears, as she gazed at the sister she had barely known. She looked marvelous if she saw her now Marcella would be green with envy. Molly didn't look a day over forty, very little silver streaked her vibrant fiery red hair, and there was nary a wrinkle on her face.

"Arthur Weasley." Arthur offered Milo his hand in greeting, while the sisters continued to stare at each other.

"Milo Macanny," Milo shook his hand.

"Macanny…Macanny…Ah, you must be Captain Miles parents. You own the pub the boys ventured into for our girls cravings this afternoon." Arthur pieced together the puzzle. "Miles is a good lad and not unlike my own boys loyal to the core."

"Milly's been estranged from her family since us two got married. I'm delighted that she can have her sister back in her life again."

"Milly you could have contacted me. I would have been there for you." Molly broke her silence and went over to sit beside her sister. "I knew of Marcella through Desi and Frankie, but never anything of you."

"Mother and Father gave me the same cold shoulder when I fell in love with my Milo. They expected me to meekly fall in line and marry someone of their own choosing or they were going to disinherit me and cut me off financially. I refused, packed up everything that meant anything to me, and left home to marry my Milo. After that they refused to even recognize my existence that was until I blessed them with a grandson. My trust was restored to me, but I didn't want it for me. I used it to give Miles a first-class education at Eton, St. Andrews, and then Sandhurst. Then I invested the rest smartly, so he would have a sizable trust of his own with which to go after his own dreams. Miles knows his grandparents, but is closest with Desi and Frankie. Marcie and Mitch beyond annoy him, as do my parents. You see blue-blooded snob our Miles is not."

"Miles Malcolm put me down this instant or I'll call security on your sorry arse!" Nanda's snarls filtered into the library.

"I am security babe and we're gonna chat!" Miles snarled back.

"Miles don't you dare even think of what I know you're thinking!" Nanda hissed.

"Not listening, Lewis. I've got a brilliant idea for the time being let's not hear you." He took his prized magic wand out of his pocket. "_Silencio_."

Nanda hadn't been expecting anything like that, a swat on her rear yes, but he'd never been trained magic wise. So this was eye-opening not to mention slightly alarming information for her. She retaliated by beating her fists against his strong as steel back. It was then and only then that she noticed that they had an audience, because they had paused in front of the library doors and she flushed crimson with embarrassment.

"Mum, Dad, Aunt Molly, Uncle Arthur love to chat, but Lewis and I need to set some ground rules." Miles casually greeted the four of them before continuing his way down the hallway.

"She's the one Frankie and Franc was referring about." Arthur couldn't help but chuckle in amusement.

"She popped back to the Pub to seek an interview with us and caught Miles kissing Frankie hello. It went dodgy after that." Milo also was finding this highly amusing.

"He's a wonderful young man. It's no wonder he reminded me so much of Bill and Charlie when I first met him at Wills, Rory, Dromi, and Henry's wedding last Christmas. He's my nephew with eyes for our Nanda no less." Molly poured herself a cup of tea.

"She's a lovely lass and high-spirited just what he needs to keep him on his toes." Milly smiled.

DJ and Dani raced into the library. "Grams, Gramps did you know its Uncle Franc's birthday today?"

"Yeah and he got his wish too, cuz he's magical now thanks to First-Grandpa and Grandma." Dani clapped her hand over her mouth, as it finally dawned on her that they weren't alone, and with the muggle Pub owners from this afternoon. "Oops I'm sorry…"

Arthur scooped her up into his arms. "No harm done baby. This here is your Nana's sister Milly and her husband Milo Macanny. Now as for Franc yes we are aware that's it's his birthday, but are also aware that he loathes birthdays with a passion. We are also aware that he's magical now, for we were there when Merlin and Mab rekindled Hermione's parents and Franc's magic."

"Phew that's a relief…um why does he hate birthdays. You get cake, ice-cream, and presents." DJ walked over to cuddle up with his Grams. "Oh sorry, I'm Darien James Pendragon-Black and she's Danielle Stephanie Anastasia Pendragon."

"Dani! DJ!" Tyler and Ryan raced into the room, followed by the rest of the younger set.

"We're surprising Uncle Franc." Matt and Ally chorused after the twins.

"That means twice the cake and we even get ice-cream too." Nate was never one to turn down ice-cream and cake.

"Enough about sweets…we need to think of a present for him." Mia focused on the problem.

"Mia's right." Fiona frowned.

"We don't have a gift." Tabby pouted.

"We can make him one." Daria chimed in her solution to the problem.

"You guys we're makin Uncle Franc a huge birthday card, so Nana and Grandpa time will have to wait for later." MJ growled from the doorway.

"Aunt Frankie set out loads of stuff in the playroom." Bell and Daph smiled.

"We've got smocks." Julie chattered.

"Yeah and stuff to cover our fancy clothes." Liam hated his dress clothes with a passion.

"Yeah, so our Mum's don't skin us." Orry nodded.

"Yell yes, skin us not so much." Rohan rolled his eyes at Orry.

"More like ground us from our toys." Ian added his bit.

"First things first we have new family. This is Nana Molly's sister Milly and her husband Milo Macanny." Dani glowered down at her siblings, cousins, cousins of sorts, aunt, uncle, and best friend. "So introduce yourselves." She ordered them like a displeased Drill Sergeant. "Lucky for all of you that Aunt Milly isn't a muggle, so you didn't out our world."

They all flushed a little at her tone then focused on Milo and Milly. There was a chorus of sorry's and hello's followed by each of them properly introducing themselves.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you." Milly and Milo smiled.

"Our son Miles is with us as well, but he's having a chat with Ms. Lewis right now." Milo adored little ones.

The girls sighed dreamily at the mention of his name and the boys rolled their eyes.

"Miles took them sledding and skating when he was up visiting Wills and Henry for their wedding, so the little ones adore him." Arthur chuckled.

"Miles is wicked cool." The boys agreed.

"Yeah, he's dreamy." The girls sighed.

"We're not even six yet, enough with the mushy sighing." Dani rolled her eyes at them. "Besides that he's Aunt Nanda's."

"Oh my, she's quite the budding leader isn't she?" Milly giggled.

"Oh you have no idea…you see she's the strongest of all of them and the first to take charge of any situation." Molly nodded.

"Or get into mischief." Arthur kissed the top of Dani's head.

"Grandpa please put me down. We've got a card to make and very little time with which to do it in." Dani kissed him on the cheek.

"Well then you'd best get too it." Arthur kissed her on the nose and then set her back down on her feet.

"Nice meeting you." DJ kissed Molly on the cheek. "See ya later Grams and Grandpa." He scampered off her lap and went over to join Dani.

All of them said their goodbyes and then raced out of the room to go focus on the card for Franc.

--

"Mother, Father, Marcie, and Mitch are in for a rude awakening. I can't wait till they see how much they've missed." Milly winked at her big sis.

"Mother, Father, Marcella, and Mitchell are going to be here tonight at the reception?" Molly shot Arthur a worried look.

"Marcie and Mitch are also Lord and Lady Carstairs, just as mother and father are Lord and Lady Prewett. The four of them see it as their duty to attend historic events such as this one tonight." Milly nodded. "Molly you've nothing to worry about. You've a legacy that even Marcie will be green with envy over, so be proud of that."

"My legacy," Molly was happily smiling now. "I rather like the sound of that."

"And so you should. You've done so much more than any of us even dared dream. You played a major role in the defeat against the Dark Lord and his horrid Deatheaters, while all of us fled in terror to hide in the mortal realm. Your children all grew up to be fine highly successful individuals at whatever they set their sights on. You proved them all wrong Molly and now have a chance to proudly rub it in their snobbish blue-blooded faces." Milly hugged her.

"Molly we're surrounded by family, so if they upset you in anyway you can rest assured that they'll find themselves thrown out on their high-class arses." Arthur sat down beside his wife.

"Now that would be something to see, the four of them thrown out on their cans." Milo chuckled as he sat down next to Milly. "Serve them right to have the same treatment turned on them."

"Oh my, that would take them down off their high horses and show them some humility." Milly giggled.

"Yes, it would, but let's hope it doesn't come to that. I would like to believe the four of them are above making a scene, but then again it's been decades since we last met, so we shall see." Molly sighed.

"Not to worry big sister we shall face them together." Milly clasped Molly's hand in her own.

--

Miles took a secret passageway to the Queen's gallery. "This seems private enough for our chat. The reception is being held in the main part of the Palace, so no one will disturb us in here." He set her down on her feet.

Nanda stood there silently fuming and pondering his demise.

"Look. I wouldn't have had to take drastic measures if you'd stayed put and tried not to flee again." Miles glared down into her eyes. "I just wanted to talk about maybe the two of us spending time with each other, minus your violent tendencies on my person." He paced in front of her.

"We got off on the wrong foot. It's obvious that you have some major trust issues that we'll have to work on, but if I've learned anything in the Army it's patience." He stopped pacing to stare down into wary chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm also stubborn, determined, and focused as hell when I set my mind on something a trait the two of us share. I don't trifle with a woman's feelings nor do I snog every female that I meet. Frankie is my cousin and we were happy to see each other. I know that it looked dodgy in your eyes, but then you've been hurt before by some clueless git, and assumed the worst about me. I understand that…"

Nanda, because she was still under the influence of Silencio, decided that actions spoke louder than words. She reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and silenced him with her kiss one that he returned in kind.

--

The Bow Room

Franc was scowling.

Guests were milling about nibbling on hors d'oeuvres, and downing expensive champagne. The only thing missing was the family, who had yet to mingle with their guests. Wills and Henry had greeted them for thirty minutes or so, but then had excused themselves to go check on their brides. The guests had eaten that excuse up like a child would eat candy, so no problem there.

Lord and Lady Carstairs had just arrived with Lord and Lady Prewett ten minutes ago. He was silently plotting on jinxing the git secretary who had blundered and added them to the guest list, when he had clearly told him not to under any circumstance add them to the list.

_Where the hell was everyone anyway? Even Beau, Frankie, and Desi were missing the reception and they all had a hand in arranging it. They had better not be rowing with each other again. _Franc brooded.

"Franc, my boy, you've outdone yourself." Lord Mitchell Carstairs greeted Franc with his wife Lady Marcella on his arm.

"Yes Franc, the wedding was beautiful, all be that minus a few mishaps, and the young royal's lack of protocol. I mean really cavorting on the Cathedral steps and stopping for takeaway during the return to the Palace." Marcella was at her snotty best and had no qualms about censuring the royals at their own wedding reception. "I don't understand why Elizabeth puts up with such atrocious behavior."

Franc reined in his temper, managing a tight smile in greeting. "The people didn't mind in the least. Wills and Henry were focused on Rory and Dromi which is as it should be." His tone was cool towards the two of them. "As for the wedding this was very much a family planned event, so I can't take all the credit when it was a team effort, which is also as it should be."

"Really Franc, you must be stressed to address the royals in such a casual matter." Marcie scoffed snootily.

Franc was more tempted than ever to try out his magic on the woman that was beyond trying his last nerve.

"Now Marcella, Franc is obviously too focused to follow proper protocol." Mitch patted her gloved hand reassuringly.

"Mother, Father what an unexpected surprise." Frankie having overheard her mother's tactless remarks in her search for Franc decided an intervention was in order. She greeted them with the protocol air kisses to each of their cheeks before standing back to thread her arm through Franc's.

"Francis we've a slight situation in the Family Wing that needs your immediate attention." She stood on her toes and whispered that into his ear. "Mother, Father if you'll both excuse us. Sir Francis has a situation that needs tending to…Oh I see that Grandmother and Grandfather are here as well." She managed to keep a polite smile on her face.

"Georgette, we always attend official royal functions. It's only on the certain occasions that we do not, for example the Pendragon Royal wedding when we were out of the country on Holiday in Greece." Marcella narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "As you very well know it is our duty and privilege to honor an invite from the Queen."

"Sir Francis?" Mitchell coughed after swallowing his drink the wrong way. "I say old bean that's news to me."

"Yes and to me as well." Marcella sniffed.

"It's only been a month or so since the official ultraprivate family and friend's only ceremony for both Francis and Beauregard at Windsor Castle. It was the royal family's way of honoring them and expressing how important the two of them being in their lives was to them. I mean after all they're already godparents to most the little royals." Frankie intricately spun what was what to her parents.

"You see I prefer to keep my private life separate from my public lifestyle, as does Beau. I refer to the royal family casually, because I have the honor and privilege of being let into the family circle, and am very close friends with both the Pendragon and Windsor royal families. Now if you will excuse us, we have a situation to go see about." Franc nodded curtly to the Carstairs and then he and Frankie quietly exited out the private royal only doors.

"Things have really gone downhill since the Pendragon's resurfaced. No one knows their proper station anymore." Marcella wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Marcella, mind your tongue. You are censuring the reining Queen and crowned princess's family at their own wedding reception." Mitchell hissed at his wife, well aware the function was being covered by the all knowing all seeing eyes of the media.

"Well it's true! They have no sense of honor merging both families as if there wasn't a difference among them. It's bad enough the Crowned Prince and Princess are the stars of that rubbish cult following Harry Potter series. It's probably all falderal anyways. My sister was nothing but a frumpy nobody." Marcella sneered.

Unknown to the two of them all of their snide remarks were being caught by Nanda's team of expert camera guys.

--

"Your family had better mind themselves or I'll have them tossed out on their blue-blooded arses." Franc was seething mad at their appalling lack of tact. "Thank Mab; you and Desi are nothing like them! The nerve of them censuring Wills, Henry, Rory, and Dromi like that!"

"Newsflash Francis, Mummy and Daddy are tactless blue-blooded snobs and so are the grandparents. My advice is to let my Aunts at the four of them, while we watch the feathers fly. Beau and Desi gave Aunt Milly a makeover and Mummy looks like a tight faced old crone compared to them. Lily gave Aunt Milly the Skelefuse potion, so her broken leg is no longer an issue. She can dance with Uncle Milo, Miles, or whoever she wishes to as well as enjoy the reception. All will be well Francis you have my word on that." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Now forget about them and focus on the disaster of monumental proportions that is occurring in the Family Wing."

"Are the father's-to-be unwell? Did Dani do something rash to her dress out of sheer boredom? If so not to worry I have several back up dresses on standby just in case of such an emergency." Franc braced for the worst when they stopped in front of the playroom doors.

"We're having a family meeting…"

"Are they at it again, because if they are…" Franc stopped snarling when the doors opened followed by shouts of surprise and Happy Birthday completely dumbfounded him.

"Happy Birthday Franc," Frankie kissed him on the cheek. "Here's something that I picked up from Olivanders. He told me to tell you that it's a longtime coming and to stop by and see him if you have any questions about your new wand." She set a long slender leather case in his shaking hands.

"No way…it's not possible could it be that our Franc is actually speechless!" Harry and the guys seemed highly amused.

"He's just touched beyond measure." Hermione and the other girls were all smiles.

"Happy Birthday Uncle Franc we love you." The kids raced over to him with their giant B-day card.

"It's all right Uncle Franc you go ahead and cry if you want to." Dani smiled up at him.

"All of this for me?" Franc was near tears. "But how did you know…"

"Franc you deserve to celebrate your birthday. It's not every birthday that one turns forty." Lily smiled.

"Yes, you should have told us…" Rory and Dromi frowned.

"We would have set another date for our…" Wills and Henry were also frowning.

"Nonsense, my day of birth is trivial compared to your weddings and I stopped worrying about it after I hit thirty. I'm touched that you thought of all of this, but getting to be magical is the only wish I've ever dreamed all of my life and it was fulfilled. The card is lovely and I'll treasure it always. Now if you wish to make me happy then enjoy your special day. All of my family blissfully happy is the best present in the world to me." Franc smiled.

"Aye, having this weekend go off as planned with only a few bungles is present enough for Franc. He'd rather give than take, so indulge him on this one." Beau smiled his thousand kilowatt smile.

"We've put it off long enough." Harry sighed in defeat. "It's time to go make nice with everyone."

"Most of them are harmless, while others have their noses permanently stuck in the air more like their arses." Draco grumbled.

"Aunt Molly, my parents and grandparents are out there. Fair warning Mother is into verbally flogging at will tonight and Daddy isn't any better." Frankie warned. "Though hearing that Francis is now a Sir caught them by surprise and had them backpedaling for a bit."

"They had better mind their tongues or I'll have them publicly flogged out in the courtyard and stripped of their titles." Wills growled.

"Not to worry Wills, leave them to sputter, and gawk when they see Aunt Molly and Aunt Milly, and if they cause any trouble then it should be the Aunts who should have the honors of tossing them out." Desi growled.

"Nana looks thirty years younger than her age, was blessed with a loving family, is a matriarch of our world, and none of them hold a candle to her life. Can we please get this over with, so those of us who are kids can finally get back into our play clothes again?" Dani begged all the adults with pleading soulful green eyes and a pouting mouth.

"Yes please, can we." The other kids chorused with matching expressions on their tiny faces.

"All right you win. Enough with the doe and puppy dog eyes, we will go make nice at our reception." Wills scooped her up into his arms.

The others each scooped up a little one and they all left the Wing.

--

Miles and Nanda were in better spirits.

He watched in fascination as she went to work filming the wedding reception for the piece she was doing on this weekend's series of Royal historic events.

"Are you doing a documentary?" He arched a fiery red brow at her.

"Yes, for the family archives as a gift for Wills, Rory, Henry, and Dromi." Nanda nodded, as her crew covered the reception from every possible angle. "This is a personal project of mine. So tell me is that regal looking pair eyeing us your Grandparent's?"

"Yes, unfortunately they are." Miles downed the rest of his champagne and set it on one of a hundred silver tray's scattered about the room. "Well now this is gonna get interesting." He watched as the family finally made the scene.

"That's right your grandparents, Aunt, and Uncle haven't seen Molly or Arthur in decades." Nanda had already caught Marcella's tactless behavior on DVD thanks to her loyal top-notch crew.

"Yeah, like I said interesting. My money is on my Aunt Molly and my Mum." Miles kept track of his estranged relatives. "Aunt Molly outshines them by a mile, so does my Mum."

"They look positively gobsmacked don't they?" Nanda smirked.

"Yeah, ain't it great?" Miles grinned.

--

Giles and Ginevra couldn't help but gape at their eldest daughter in disbelief. She looked radiant, far younger than her years, as did their son-in-law. To add to their chagrin the two were carrying on conversation with Stephen, Anna, and Elizabeth.

"Giles she's a refined Dame, nothing at all what I ever dreamed was even remotely possible. Arthur must have inherited money from a dead relative or something." Ginevra hissed into her husband's ear.

"Quite so my dear," Giles downed his glass of bubbly and reached for another, as Molly's family gathered around her. "My god they can't be all hers like the woman claims in her books." He choked on his champagne, as little ones raced over to Molly calling out Nana or Grams.

"My word seven children, all grown with children of their own…" Ginevra also downed her flute of expensive bubbly.

"Makes one jealous doesn't it. All of that love and your just able to look, but not join in." The Doctor, who was watching from the shadows, couldn't resist butting in. "Always envied ones like that who were blessed with such happiness. It's a safe bet they'll never be alone and always surrounded by their legacy, as they watch their children all build legacies of their own." He casually sipped his own champagne. "Just look at Elizabeth beaming with pride. Though, her family line has taken loss after loss. Princess Anne and her children's passing last year because of that horrific plane crash. Prince Edward's car crash that took the lives of him, his wife, and his daughter on the second anniversary of her first tragic losses. She knows that her remaining family are all thriving full of life and has a new generation to look forward too this spring. The Pendragon's have been her salvation and stood with her through it all making the royal houses of England a bright beacon in the world."

"On the contrary sir, one could also say the Pendragon's have been a curse on her House and have brought nothing but heartache to Elizabeth and her family. Now as for your suggestion that my husband or I are the least bit jealous of the royal hangers-on, I can assure you that they mean nothing to us." Ginevra sniffed haughtily at him.

"Yes, a family that large is an eyesore…" Giles agreed.

"You really think that? Because Queen Victoria had nine children with her Prince and eighty-eight grandchildren and she was as royal and blue-blooded as they come." The Doctor arched a brow at them, as if perplexed by the two of them. "So when it comes down too it the two of you are suggesting that Elizabeth's line is an eyesore. One can lose their title for even thinking such things against the crown. Shall I bring her over here and you can tell her your views on this matter yourselves?"

"You sir are rude and arrogant to speak to us in that manner!" Giles face was flushed with temper and his ears were turning an alarming shade of crimson red.

"Sorry how rude of me. I didn't introduce myself did I. Lord Jonathan Galloway close friend to both sides of the family." He offered Giles his hand in greeting.

Giles wasn't about to shake the hand of the man that had enraged him.

"It's a shame your oldest outshines your precious prized jewel. She looks ancient compared to even your youngest daughter. Just goes to show that you can't find good cosmetic surgeons these days. Molly looks in her late thirties, whereas Marcella could pass for sixty easy. Milly doesn't seem a day over forty, but then again I don't look a year over thirty and I'm ancient way over a thousand years plus." He left them to ponder those words.

"Of all the nerve!" Ginevra seethed in fury.

"He's the Lord of Time. No not really, more like God of Time, so he can speak his mind at his leisure. Loved that whole bit you two. It'll look aces in the wedding documentary. He's right though you four might end up commoners after Wills and his Gran sees it." Miles was standing behind them with a DVR recorder in his hand.

"Hey, my Babe put me to work and I'd give her the moon if she asked for it." He shrugged his shoulders when his grandparents whirled around to glare murderously at him before stalking off in a huff. "I've waited years to finally see the downfall of the four of them and it's only fitting that we get it on DVD as well."

--

Marcella was appalled that either of her sisters dared outshine her in her own circle. "Look at them hobnobbing with her as if she were one of the elite and Milly trying to pass herself off as class, as if that were even remotely possible."

"Now darling, your estranged sisters don't even hold a candle to you, nor do they have any class. One can have a title, but it matters not if ones bloodline is half mongrel." Mitch handed her another flute of bubbly.

"Mongrel is right. The entire Pendragon line should be thrown in the pound and be done with before…" Marcella found herself tasting something vile instead of expensive champagne and started choking and gagging.

"Marcella dearest, whatever is the matter?" Mitch patted her on the back to see if that would calm her coughing and gagging fit.

"The Champagne…" She choked out. "It's horrid tasting…"

Mitch took her glass from her and tentatively tasted world-class bubbly and nothing horrid as she had described. "Marcella your mind is playing games with you. The bubbly is fine." Mitch snagged a few lobster canapé off one of the trays being carried around by the staff. "Here darling try one of these it should balance all the bubbly that you've been drinking."

"All right, but if that tastes horrid too…" She bit into a canapé it too tasted beyond vile and she immediately spat it out all over Mitchell's expensive suit. "That's disgusting! They should behead the Chef and his staff for attempted food poisoning!" She gasped out as the taste lingered in her mouth.

"Marcella Marie what has come over you!?" Mitchell was none too pleased with her, as he mopped at the front of his suit with a linen napkin that one of the staff had offered him.

"You try it then if you don't believe me! It's horrid tasting!" Marcella proceeded to stuff the canapé into his mouth.

Mitchell tasted five-star cuisine and was now even more concerned for his wife's mental well-being. "You're creating a scene. The canapé is excellent as was the champagne. Now compose yourself this instant." He hissed down at her.

Marcella was mortified and furious beyond measure at her husband, so she stalked off in a huff to go powder her nose.

Mitchell on the other hand headed for the bar and something a hell of a lot stronger than champagne.

--

"The only mongrels in this room are the four of them." Franc grumbled.

"The night is young my friend and their hells are just beginning." Harry promised.

"After we're through with them they'll be carting all four of them away to the loony bin." Draco narrowed his eyes at Mitchell, as the man in question downed his Scotch.

"Good riddance they deserve a hell of a lot more than that." Ron snarled.

"Marcella and Ginevra are both vane as they come. I suggest that you play on that weakness and they'll both crumble. Now as for Mitchell and Giles, appearance is everything to them, so the more scenes the better." Beau detested blue-blooded arrogant arses.

"Brilliant thinking, Beau. They need put in their places." Logan smirked.

"Make them beg for mercy, but them give them only grief." Kane nodded.

"Give them hell Gent's, by all means put them in their places." Miles growled darkly.

--

Mitchell had to weave his way through not only guests, but also the children running rampant without proper nanny supervision, to get to the bar to order his drink.

"I'll have a Scotch and make it a double." He growled at the bartender. "Bloody children are a menace that's another tradition tossed away, because of the Pendragon's influence on the House of Windsor." He downed his drink in one-shot, before turning to glower at Dani and DJ. The two of them were pestering the King and Queen, as well as the Prince and Princess. Refusing to act like proper royals that being quiet well-behaved little prince and princesses and nothing like normal children their age at all.

"On the contrary, sir, I happen to think that children should be able to be themselves without having a staunchy nanny to stifle their development." Merlin having overheard his muttering reined in the urge to send this foolish mortal to the Arctic for an hour or two. "Children are our legacies without them we would be nothing and our family lines would wither away and die."

"Children are a means to an end and should be raised by a proper nanny until they are of manageable age." Mitchell turned to face Merlin and found himself facing the fiery haired six foot plus Patriarch of the royal house of Pendragon. "Not that someone like you would ever understand that to insure tradition strict rules and upbringing are necessary for our younger generations to follow."

"You sir, haven't the slightest inkling what I do and do not understand nor could you even fathom it. It is tight ass blue-blooded upstarts like you that care nothing for anyone but themselves that should be weeded out of the mix before your cancer spreads to the younger generations. The times of staunchy 'I have class and you don't' days are over. Your kind is doomed to become extinct." Merlin kept his tone lethally calm and low a sure sign that he was on slow boil.

"How dare you. My family, sir, has been around for centuries and shall remain so for generations to come!" Mitchell glared daggers at him.

"No how dare you, even think of spouting out rubbish like that at my Great-Granddaughters wedding reception. You sir, are speaking to Merlin of Avalon and you will think before even starting to open your mouth again!!" Merlin snarled back at Mitchell. "If you don't heed my only warning then let me remind you that Houses can be dissolved, titles can be stripped, and commoners you and your equally vile wife and her parents will be!"

"Mitchell there you are. I sent Ginevra to go see to Marcella…" Giles ordered his own drink and downed it before facing Merlin. "I can assure his majesty that my son-in-law will be on his utmost behavior for the rest of the night and no threats are necessary…"

"Let me spell this out, so your feeble little minds can grasp." Stephen having overheard the entire chat stepped in to add to the mix as all the staff were magically friendly he was crystal clear. "If you both continue to act as you have this evening and that includes Ginevra, and Marcella then I will have no choice, but to punish you to the full extent of our law. I will have your very existences erased from all that know you, you will be exiled to some hellish country or island, and none of us will ever have to deal with any of you again. Do I make myself clear or do I need to elaborate further?"

"Are you threatening me sir!" Mitchell's face was purple with fury.

"I am King Stephen Pendragon and you will address me as your majesty, not sir. No sir that was most certainly not a threat! It can and will happen, if you do not cease your actions and mouths forthwith!" Stephen had loathed Giles since they had met and today was no exception. "As it is I should have the four of you thrown out on your arses."

"Let's go Mitchell. I need some air." Giles dragged Mitchell away from the bar, before Merlin gave into his fury, and exiled the four of them to some godforsaken island or erased their memories to boot.

"Those four are going to find themselves alone on a desolate piece of land on one of the islands, if they don't watch it." Merlin downed his glass of fire whiskey. "And I shall take great pleasure in personally seeing to it that they stay there for the rest of their feeble little lives."

"I want those two as faraway from the family at dinner as possible. I will not subject Molly to having to eat around them or the kids for that matter." Stephen and Merlin left to go have a chat with Franc.

--

Blue Drawing Room

"Your estranged relatives are going to find themselves ending up not unlike the contestants of Survivor, only for keeps, and with no multimillion dollar prize." Nanda was reviewing some of the footage that she was getting and felt like hexing the lot of them.

"Well, as it is they'll most likely be commoners after Wills get's through with them, and I doubt that any of the family would stand in Merlin's or the King Stephens way." Miles was all for exiling them from his life, his head, and his memories.

"The four of us own the store, so that's free and clear if that were to happen. I made sure that our parents signed it over to us and when Frankie and I took over the store had our lawyers add Franc and Beau as well. The two of us just haven't told the two of them yet." Desi confided to the two of them. "Frankie doesn't have the nerve to tell Franc, for fear that he'll start wearing his flashy designs again, nor has she told him that major players in the music and entertainment industry are seriously interested in his designs."

"Frankie knows that Franc is the glue that holds the store together and doesn't want anything to hamper that, but I think they should be told about being co-owners all this time." Miles frowned at his cousin.

"I already know all about it and so does Franc. He's just terrified of women. We both are, it's a phobia that we both share. You see the two of us had horrid experiences dating girls in our teens, so we just decided it wasn't worth pursuing, and focused on our careers instead." Beau joined the three of them.

"You do know that they think the two of you are…" Miles arched a brow at Beau.

"I believe the term is life partners. Yes we're aware of what others think of us, but then neither of us give a damn what anyone thinks, because our personal lives are just that ours. We've been best mates since forever and when we both decided to make a go of it in London decided that we made a better team together than apart and have shared a flat together since. Mitchell wasn't near of an arse as he is now and took a chance on the two of us and we have been there since. It wasn't until Frankie and Desi got their letters that he ever approached us about being magical. The very thought that his girls were different terrified him. Until, I explained that being a witch was a gift not a curse as Marcella believed. I being a Hogwarts graduate myself was proof the girls could easily make their marks in either worlds. Marcella was livid with Franc and I for meddling, but the two of them wanted you and Frankie to be happy and if that is what the two of you wished then so be it. Marcella, a squib herself, always had a burr up her arse about anyone magical and it irked her to no end that Franc being a squib like herself was the opposite. He tried his damndest to ignite the magic inside him, even managed a weak fire once or twice, but could never do anything beyond that. It was his eye for fashion and design and his uncanny talent for knowing exactly what the clients wanted. And what would work on them no matter their size or shape that helped him make his mark in the muggle world." Beau gave them rare insight on the inner workings of Francis Tonks.

"Francis is being difficult, because he's terrified of women?" Frankie had a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"He seems fine around most of the women in the family not the least bit terrified at all." Desi arched a brow at Beau.

"He's completely at ease with them; because all of them are happily paired off to their significant others, and so no longer a threat. Its single females that he's wary of and that's all you need know." Beau shrugged. "Although, now that he has magic in full and can defend himself if need be. His view towards witches might just change, one never knows with Franc."

"So you're saying the two of you had dating experiences with females of our kind that went so badly that you both swore off women forever?" Frankie frowned in disbelief.

"It had to be something above and beyond to make the two of you take a vow of celibacy." Miles arched a brow at Beau.

"Yeah, well, you have a Stephen King's Misery experience and then see how you feel about women and that is all that I am ever going to say about that nightmarish time in our lives." Beau decided that he'd said too much already, so he changed the subject. "Frankie you wouldn't mind if the Obliviator Squad wiped your memory of your parents or grandparents ever being in our lives would you?"

"If you had said that to me yesterday then maybe the answer would have been yes, but after their actions today I have to say no they deserve what they get." Frankie scowled. "I'm ashamed that I'm even related to them. It's a miracle that Aunt Molly and Aunt Milly turned out like they did."

"Miracles do happen. Look at Draco, he finally saw the light. Now as for your parents and our grandparents I don't see that as a gonna happen. So with that said they might spend their remaining years on some deserted island in the Pacific or worse if they don't cool it." Miles growled.

"So it's all a brilliant façade to ward off any females." Desi asked curiously. "What happens when you're brilliant façade attracts someone of your own gender?"

"Never had that problem," Beau shrugged. "Hell even all of you assumed the two of us are life partners, so that isn't a factor for either of us. You see after hours the two of us shed our work personae and easily blend in at pubs, football, Quidditch matches, and when we ride our Harleys with our mates from the Magus Bikers Club." Beau stopped in midsentence when he noticed that Franc was standing right behind Frankie and had closed the Blue Drawing Room doors.

"Oh don't stop there, Beau. Tell them about both our passions for fast flashy cars and the favorite pastime as of the past few years. Spending our free time at the farm just outside Godric's Hollow, where we go to recharge after a long endless week, but only if our work schedules allow it." Franc narrowed his eyes at Beau. "Gideon Beauregard Lockhart, give me one good reason I shouldn't give into the urge to wipe the floor with your sorry arse for revealing need-to-know information to…"

"Now don't be like that Franc. I didn't mean any harm by it. The three of them are like family to us. I left out your being a martial arts expert and that your living proof that being a Metamorphmagus had nothing to do with being magical, as we've always been taught to believe. It falls along the lines of one being a telepath, telekinetic, clairvoyant, and so forth…" Beau winced when Franc swore fluently in several different languages for five minutes straight. "Sorry Abel, but we're both forty now, so it's beyond time to let the cat out of the bag. You've got your magic now and we'd only be telling close family and friends."

"Abel?" Frankie locked gazes with her sister.

"Gideon I knew about and now we know what the A in Franc's name stands for." Desi was taking all of this in her stride.

"No frickin way are the two of you Able and Gideon. The two of them are notorious in the biker set for getting into brawls with drunkards at pubs who don't respect the ladies. Though now it makes perfect sense how the two of you easily pay for all damages and the bar tab for the night." Miles was gobsmacked by this turn of events. "This is unreal you're fashion and hair icons by day and Marauders by night."

"By Merlin I miss those days. It was a great source of stress relief for us. Now days, we're lucky to get home by midnight. Only to crawl into our beds five hours later, run five or so miles, workout in our gym; take a sauna if there's time, shower and change for work. Then eat breakfast that our housekeeper Mrs. Magpie sets out for us, and leave for work to start the cycle all again." Beau sulked.

Frankie turned around to stare up into Franc's stormy aquamarine eyes challenging them with her own eyes. "Well go on then prove it."

"Excuse me?!" Franc was on his last nerve already he didn't need this maddening female taunting him. "My full name is Francis Abel Dominic Tonks and that woman is all that you are going to get from me!"

"Oh, very well, Francis if you're afraid…"

Franc swore under his breath. "What does it matter to you if I shed my work persona after hours? Can't I like to drink lager or Guinness while I watch a match with my mates at the pub, in my home, or at a match like any normal gent?"

He closed his eyes as if to rein in the urge to throttle the annoying female in front of him then opened them to glower down into moss green eyes that sparkled up at him in challenge. "Our store runs like an efficient well-oiled machine. We're always in the black and I perform my job to perfection. My private life and how I choose to live it is my own."

The challenge in her moss green eyes shone of hurt at his lack of trust in her. "You're right…" She sighed heavily tears shining in her eyes. "Forget I said it…"

"Damn it Gideon they'll think us Cads or worse!" Franc raked his fingers through his golden blonde hair in frustration. "Like, I needed this today of all days, her near tears of betrayal, you acting as if you're on Veritaserum, the Carstairs-Prewett quartet! Now we'll have to have a blasted family meeting to boot, and to top that off dinner is ten minutes from being served with war looming because of a seating arrangement snafu! I can't handle hurt feelings right now, as it is I'm on the verge of my second nervous breakdown!!" Franc's usual refined tone was replaced by a thick Welsh brogue. "Son of a bitch this bites, I never sound like this as Franc! Oh yes, as usual my birthday so sucks for me!"

"Well you might as well go first while Franc has his breakdown." Miles arched a brow at Beau.

"Sure why the hell not, it's all been blown anyway, might as well get it over with." Beau ignored Franc's ranting or withering glare and revealed his Gideon side to the others. Jet-black hair fell to the middle of his black giving him the pirate look, sky blue eyes, and casual clothes of jeans, t-shirt, biker boots and jacket completed his look.

"Highlander eat your heart out." Desi sighed dreamily.

"You said it honey…" Nanda sighed nearly dropping her prized camera.

"I'm still here ya know." Miles grumbled.

"Well?" Frankie was more interested in seeing Franc's alter ego.

"I don't have time for this tripe."

"She's filming it anyway, so instead of going through all of it again you can just get it over with now and then play the DVD for the family." Miles pointed to the Digital recorder in Nanda's hands.

"It's either this or I go…" Frankie started to play her ace.

"You are the most…"

Frankie started to leave.

"Fine you win, but only for a minute. I've got a million fires to put out and very little time with which to do it in!"

Franc focused on shedding his work look for his normal self. A long platinum-blonde mane replaced his short designer hairstyle. Aquamarine eyes were now the shade of icy blue-grey. Gone was the impish face replaced with handsome chiseled features showing just the hint of five-o'clock shadow. And there was no sign of his alter egos lankiness. The physique of a well toned athletic male was evident under the jeans, t-shirt, leather jacket, and boots.

Gone was refined Franc, standing before them was Abel his tougher marauder persona, who was currently eyeing Frankie warily. "Now Frankie don't…" It was too late he found himself socked in the jaw by a beyond furious Frankie.

"It was you! The knight on the Harley with the silver hair and gray eyes that ran down the git who boosted my bag outside the store was you!" She shook her hand, as if it would shake off the stinging sensation of punching him in the jaw. "I was already having a lousy first few hours of being back home and when I finally made it to the store they told me that I'd just missed you by five minutes."

"I was running late for a family occasion and as you were three hours late wasn't gonna forgo Wills birthday bash or their homecoming for a meeting with you." Franc rubbed his sore jaw.

"So that's why you overhauled security at the store. Frankie almost got hurt." Beau now understood his mood as of late.

"I wasn't going to have thugs casing the store or its surroundings. Frankie almost getting hurt just opened my eyes to the situation." Franc grumbled.

"No wonder you insist the porter or someone from security escorts us to our cars at night. That was really sweet of you Franc." Desi smiled.

"Hat's off to you mate for keeping our girls safe." Miles grinned. "Oh and keeping your private life separate that's brilliant. I've seen you in action that thief never had a chance. I'd wager he ended up in hospital after you were through with him."

"I loathe thugs who prey on innocents and as for my keeping private separate from work, that's what keeps me grounded." Franc was once again ready to tackle the reception. "Sir EJ keeps pestering me about designing him a wardrobe for his tour went as far as to say that he had run it by you first." He opened the doors to the Drawing Room ignoring the curious stares of various family members, who had come in search of where the four of them had disappeared to.

"Yes well, you see about that…" Frankie was unsure how to interact around him now.

"You can tell me all about everything you've been hiding from me, while I take care of the seating arrangement snafu." He led Frankie out of the Drawing Room by the arm, walking past Ron, Harry, and Draco as if nothing whatsoever had occurred just minutes before in the Drawing Room. "Dinner in ten minutes boys go collect your families."

"What was all the snarling about?" Ron scowled.

"Yeah Francis, what's going on?" Draco growled.

"My guess would be a near nervous breakdown with the way that Aunt Molly's parents, sister, and brother-in-law have been acting tonight." Harry growled. "Sorry Frankie, but your parents…"

"Oh, no need for apologies I know all about the way they've been behaving and am livid about it. Now excuse us we have to make sure that they are placed faraway from the family side of the table at dinner tonight." Frankie was glad for the change of subject, even if it was about her parent's and grandparents tactless actions.

"Oh well, in that case we won't keep you any longer." The three of them headed off to round up their kids and find their wives.

"Nice save Frankie, but we're still going to have that chat." Franc signaled to one of his assistances and they raced to his side. "I want Lord and Lady Carstairs and Lord and Lady Prewett moved to the far end of the table preferably by the doors."

"Yes sir at once. Who shall I put in their places?" The assistant frowned.

Franc grabbed the seating chart, scanned it took the pen out of the assistants hands, and made the changes himself. "Now quick as you can make the changes dinner is served in five minutes."

The assistant raced off to do as he was ordered.

"I was afraid that you would leave the store." Frankie blurted out the reason she had kept things from him. "They all love your new designs and missed the flashier you."

"I read those papers that you had Beau and I sign and I know what they were for. I took business courses as well as design, so I know the four of us own the store." Franc signed off on something that another assistant had handed him, as he continued to chat with her. "Why would you think that I would ever just up and abandon the place that has been like a second home to me for twenty years running? I can do both and still be happy. This entire royal venture that I undertook proves that."

"So you think you'll be adding wedding planner…"

"Hell no not in a million years. This was for the family and I will only do it again many and I stress many years from now when the little ones are grown. I may make an exception for other family members or the teens when they're ready to settle down, but that's it." Franc had no problem cutting in on her statement. "As it is I'm gonna need at least a two-month holiday just to recuperate from this ordeal."

"Who was it that hurt you so badly that it made you swear off settling down yourself?"

"I misjudged a girl and it almost cost me my life. Well it was sisters actually and all Beau's idea to date them. We were girl wary at the time, so my cousin arranged for us to date them. It ended up being nothing like who we thought they were. Look it was a longtime ago and all they were doing was using us. They assumed that we were members or at least Beau was a member of the Order and Sirius was my cousin… Do I need to go on or would you like details." Franc reined in his temper.

"No Francis. I just was curious why that's all." Frankie didn't even want to think of what the two of them could have gone through.

"Let's just say that we felt the effects of _Crucio_ cast by a master and didn't go out of our minds. We fled our world and decided to make a go of it in this one." Franc rubbed his fingers against his temples to ward off his migraine.

"Don't worry Francis your secret is safe with me." Frankie stood on her toes and kissed his cheek.

"No it's time that I started trusting again, but for now let's just focus on getting through this weekend first then I'll deal with telling the family." Franc shot her a pleading look.

"Don't worry Uncle Franc you've got all of us to protect you now." Dani who had been standing nearby tugged on his dinner jacket. "Are we gonna eat soon I'm starving."

"Don't worry munchkin you're going to be fed." Franc picked her up in his arms and tweaked her on the nose. "So just how much did you overhear?"

"Oh enough, to know that you've got a big secret and were hurt so you vowed to be single for life. Um, does your secret have something to do with being able to change your eye color and stuff because your eyes are blue-grey not blue-green and you've got silver highlights in your hair that weren't there before." Dani eyed his face curiously. "Are you like Aunt Dora or did you bungle up your first try at a glamour spell?"

"That trait, all be that rare, does run in the family and between you and me it has nothing to do with magic at all. So yes curious one I can do what Dora can." He focused on perfecting his appearance and his eyes and hair color were back as they should be again. "Is that better?"

"Uh-huh now you look like you always do." Dani stared at him in wonder.

"Smashing now I want you to do me a big favor and not tell anyone about this until Beau and I call a family meeting."

"Your secrets safe with me Uncle Franc, so can Uncle Beau do that too?"

"Not exactly munchkin Uncle Beau uses the glamour spell to prefect his work look." Franc chuckled.

"So you do like what Daddy and the others do when they don't wanna be bothered by the press or public, only you created a whole new persona that's the exact opposite of whom you really are. Wow so that means that you and Uncle Beau…" Dani was beyond impressed.

"Yes, yes we're not nearly as dull as you thought, all will be revealed on Monday I promise." Franc stopped her in midchatter. "Now do me a big favor, it's almost time to eat, so please go find your momma and Aunts." He set her back down on her feet and she zoomed off to find her Momma.

"She's so adorable and never misses anything." Frankie smiled up at Franc.

"She's a little wonder all right and like father like daughter is always aware of her surroundings." Franc chuckled.

"One thing's for sure with her in your corner the guys won't hurt you now." Frankie smirked.

"Yeah, but then again they've witnessed and partaken in one of Beau's and my pub fights, so who knows they might just react like Miles." Franc winked at her.

--

Marcella sat down in front of the mirrors in what she assumed was an empty ultraposh powder room and took out her compact to powder her face in the hopes of disguising her highly flushed complexion. "I know what I tasted and am not losing my mental faculties." She fumed aloud to herself. "One of those horrid mongrels must be playing tricks on me. Yes that has to be it. Those Pendragon's are a menace."

"Marcella dear, are you all right? Mitchell said you were feeling off this evening and by the looks of your flushed face he may have been right." Ginevra came to check on her precious pride and joy and took a seat beside her.

"The only ones off this evening are those horrid Pendragon mongrels lurking about as if they own the palace." Marcella snapped, as she continued to powder her cheeks and nose.

"That may be so Marcella, but in the eyes of the world they happen to be media darlings and two of them are now our Queen and Crowned Princess." Ginevra applied lip gloss to her lips. "The days of tradition, class, and refinement are over much to my extreme displeasure the time of the nouveau riche is now."

"Mother it's disgusting how the two of them are being fawned over by all of our friends when they've no business here at all." Marcella wrinkled her nose in distaste the red flush hadn't been disguised anything and it was now spreading at an alarming rate wherever she placed the powder on her face. "That's the last time I buy this nonsense. It doesn't disguise anything and is not hypoallergic as was claimed." She set about glossing her lips with peach colored gloss which to her horror turned a shocking shade of red orange the moment she finished glossing her cosmetically enhanced lips.

"Marcella, that shade is ghastly on you, wipe it off this minute. If you return to the reception like that you'll be the laughing stalk of page six." Ginevra handed her one of the towels stacked neatly on the counter for her to wipe her face.

"Me as if yours looks any better!" Marcella swiped at her mouth, but it was as if the vibrant color had permanently stained her mouth and nothing she was doing was having any effect.

Ginevra scowled at her daughter. "Don't take your snit out on me my face is…" To her chagrin her glossed mouth was the color of candy apple red and not the subdued mauve she often preferred.

"You were saying." Marcella smirked, as her mother tried in vain to remove the stain on her lips.

The ghastly red color that beyond clashed with her fiery red hair that to her horror was faded looking and streaked with silver. Worse yet the lines and wrinkles, all be that faint to the naked eye, were returning to her face and even her hands. Years of painstaking maintenance was unraveling before her very eyes. "This can't be happening to me! No not after spending a fortune keeping it all at bay." With shaking hands she took out her own compact and set about trying to repair and disguise.

"Mother let's go find Daddy and Mitch. You're making too much out of a little lip mishap, where as I look like I've got a rash on my face." Marcella placed a hand on her mothers arm. "Other than that even the best surgeons can't completely halt the effects of aging and it's barely even visible."

"Can't you see the lines and wrinkles?"

"Mummy, I see nothing of the sort, now let's go they'll be announcing dinner soon." Ginevra pried the compact out of her mothers hand and put it away in her mothers evening bag before doing the same with her own cosmetics and evening bag.

"You're right Marcella; my eyes must be playing games on me." She and her daughter left the Powder room.

"She did not refer to our family as mongrels!" Hermione emerged from one of the water closets in a full temper.

"No they called us classless, nouveau riche, mongrels, and for the four of them are going to pay!" Luna was the next to immerge from another water closet.

"Grandparents, Aunt, and Uncle or not it is so on and they will rue the day they ever tried to tangle with any of us let alone spew all of that rubbish!" Ginny stalked out of the third water closet and went to check her appearance in the mirror. "The only mongrels in this palace are the four of them and any blue-blooded fascist like them!"

"Now Gin we mustn't lower ourselves to their level. We shall make them eat their words instead." Hermione slicked kissable gloss on her lips.

"By the way she was hissing a bit ago they've already angered some of our family, so dinner should be quite the nightmare for them, and a source of amusement for us." Luna was in complete agreement.

"Momma we're finally about to eat. Are you, Auntie Gin, and Auntie Luna finished getting all pretty yet or do you need me to calm down my cousin's, cuz they're making them sick?" Dani raced into the Powder Room.

"Yes baby, we're all finished getting all pretty, and no your cousins aren't making either of them sick." Hermione scooped her up into her arms.

"Good, cuz maybe eating dinner will keep the rest of the family from giving in to publicly flogging Auntie Gin's Grandparents and Aunt and Uncle. As it is First-Gramps and Great-Gramps want to exile them to some desolate island and be done with it." Dani frowned. "No offense Auntie Gin, but those four are really not nice people and you were all better-off not knowing them."

"No offense taken sweetie, in fact I agree with you completely. So much so that I'm officially having my name changed to Ginny, because I am nothing like my grandmother nor do I ever wish to be."

"Now Gin, don't go doing anything that drastic. You're named after Aunt Molly's Great-Gran and from what I've read she was a smashing witch and nothing like her daughter at all." Hermione had been researching all the various branches of their family tree and thought Ginny needed to hear that.

"Oh well, okay I won't change it I guess…"

"Starving child here…"

"Ladies dinner is served or are you gonna hide in there all night while we endure the receptions unwanted guests?" Harry growled from outside the Powder Room doors.

"Be right there lion." Hermione sighed.

"Yes we'll be right out." Luna and Gin called.

"Did you check on the boys?" Hermione asked Harry as soon as the three of them were out of the Powder Room.

"Yes I just checked on the boys both are sleeping soundly in their cribs and Sadie the jewel that Elizabeth hired to help out with the little ones will come get us if need be." Harry arched a brow at Dani. "So you were hiding out with your mum and Aunts."

"No I was sent by Uncle Franc to go find them." Dani pouted.

"Yeah well, both him and Beau are acting out of sorts tonight so be warned." Harry took Dani from Hermione. "Care to tell me what's going on with them?"

"Stress Daddy. This whole reception thing is stressing him out. Other than that I don't know what you're getting at."

"Never mind sweetie, you're right it must be the stress. Now shall we go join everyone in the State Ballroom?" Harry kissed the top of her head.

--

The State Ballroom with its ancient highly polished endlessly long table also had its own pecking order. The main family was seated on one end whereas the hangers-on and unsuitable lot were seated near the doors. When one was placed near the doors on that end of the table it was seen as being on the outs with the royal family and usually meant social disaster loomed in their futures. For no one wished to be acknowledged as being friends with them afterwards to do so would be social suicide. This is where the Prewett's and the Carstairs found themselves seated not in the middle of the table as was always before, but in the downtrodden of the social elite consisting of the social drinkers, troublemakers, and what have you. While even Franc and Beau sat proudly as they pleased at the elite end of the table.

"Giles this has to be an error say something to Franc." Ginevra hissed at her husband.

"Yes Mitchell, the help must have misplaced our seating arrangements. Go fix it before our place in society is forever ruined." Marcella growled.

"You are at the wedding reception of the reigning King and Queen count yourselves lucky that you even made the list." Dame Margaret hissed at them.

"Yes, be grateful and take what you are given." Dame Eleanor censured them.

"You four are lucky to be sitting here at all, accept your place and be done with your whining, so we can all eat in peace." Sir Timmons growled.

"Yes, you've nerve to sit here at all after calling the House of Pendragon mongrels. They should have tossed you out on your arses." Sir Paul glared at them.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves." The others around them glowered at them too.

"Yes, the Pendragon's are nothing of the sort. There isn't a selfish one among them and they turned our own royals around for the better, so much so the people embrace their new King and Queen with open arms and adoration." Sir Walter growled. "Their foundation has done wonders and is changing the world for the better. Your jealously is not wanted or needed here, so I would suggest that you button it or else."

"If you feel that way then, shame on you for coming here on their special day. Saying such horrid things about their family, if I had my say you'd be stripped of your title and thrown out on your arse." Lady Donna hissed at the four of them.

Marcella focused on eating her food which of course tasted horrid to her taste buds and decided that acting like she wasn't hungry was best.

"You'd best start eating or are you too good for royal cuisine as well." Lady Donna scowled.

"No the food is lovely isn't it darling." Mitch glared at his wife when he saw that she had yet to touch her food or drink her wine. "Don't you dare start with that again! You will eat your dinner or it will look like we're thumbing our noses at them."

"But…" Marcella sulked.

"Marcella not another word eat your dinner." Ginevra hissed.

"Yes Marcella, no more of that," Giles growled.

Marcella not wishing to face the wrath of everyone at that end of the table begrudgingly ate everything that was set before her. Regardless of the taste or while the rest of her family ate in silence wisely toasting on cue and keeping their feelings to themselves while everyone around them celebrated the two happy couples joyous day.

--

Appearing on the balcony before a jubilant crowd, Wills and Henry kissed their beautiful brides. After the four had their moment to shine the rest of the family joined them showing the citizens of the UK and the world a united happy front between both royal Houses. Everyone adjourned back into the palace for official wedding snaps in the throne room, cutting of the cake in the Bow Room, and dancing while the UK celebrated en masse outside the palace gates and all over the UK.

After an hour of dancing the little ones were all carried off and tucked into bed for the evening. The adults returned to dance and enjoy the reception with Elizabeth happily watching over them herself with Sadie.

Marcella, having had more snubs and looks than she could stand, stalked into the Bow Room to confront her sisters. "You've ruined everything! We're persona non grata in our circle now!"

"Milly do you know her? I've never seen her in my life." Molly turned to asked Milly, as if Marcella was some deranged guest under the influence of too much wine.

"This is Lady Marcella Marie Prewett-Carstairs. Unfortunately that makes her our estranged and obviously mentally deranged middle sister." Milly turned her nose up at Marcella. "She needs to watch what she places on her face, a little bit goes a long way, and with her sensitive skin she really needs to be careful that color does nothing for her at all."

"Now Milly, some of us feel the need to try anything to cover the appearance of age. Especially, if age hasn't been kind to them, so we can't fault her on trying now can we." Molly chided her baby sister. "I rarely need it. Now Marcella whatever did you mean by the two of us making you a social outcast. You've been estranged from Milly going on nearly three decades and me for far longer than that. We are not the ones who blatantly ran off our mouths, where as you were calling what are mine mongrels! When in truth the only miscreants in this palace are you, your husband, and our parents!"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT YOU…YOU…LITTLE NOTHING!" Marcella fumed.

"You were born a misfit and shall always be one." Ginevra came to her daughter's aid. "Marcella was the only one of out of the three of you who knew her place in life. Instead of settling for mediocre nothings like the two of you she chose class."

"I chose love and happiness over class and money, as did Milly. I would never have settled for anything less and nothing either of you say will make me regret that choice. I have seven beautiful children and over fourteen grandchildren. I have everything, while the four of you only have each other." Molly countered coolly. "Miles, Frankie, and Desi tolerate you, but that's it there is no love there. In the end Mother all you'll have is a lonely existence with just Marcella and father to dote on you, but no legacy because you ruined any chance of that by your choices, actions, and words."

"How dare you preach to me?! You are nothing and always will be nothing, but a freak! Everyone from Avalon are misfits and certainly not fit to sit on any throne! You portray yourselves as normal when you are all anything, but normal! Your lot should have faded away, but no that old geezer had to rekindle magic and taint this world by allowing that woman to write that wretched story of hers! It ruined everything when the real life key players of the book discovered their fame and with it the rise of the House of Pendragon and the fall of tradition and everything we stand for today! Your title was created out of pity and your nouveau-riche status changes nothing! You will always be a…" Ginevra let loose her fury on her eldest daughter, causing a scene, finding herself face-to-face with a beyond furious King.

"Is there a problem here Aunt Molly? If so I shall take great pleasure handling this personally!" Wills glared murderously down at Marcella and Ginevra. "How dare you call my wife and her family freaks and have the nerve to suggest that they are all witches or rubbish like that in front of all of our guests at our wedding reception!"

"Yes Aunt Molly, just say the word and we shall both take care of it!" Henry was livid with all four of them.

"As it is the four of you are going to be stripped of your titles for spewing such vile rubbish about my family. Who are anything but, as you have so crudely spat it all evening, freaks, mongrels, or classless nouveau riche upstarts! Our tradition goes back before there was even a British monarchy and so what if our family embraces magic or not! Everyone has hobbies and that just happens to be ours and it has nothing to do with Jo's story! My Great-Uncle did nothing of the kind and I will have you know that my godparents are not nothings and are far better people than you ever could be! You ostracized your oldest daughter for marrying her soul mate, all because you wished her to marry for money not love, and then went and did the same thing with your youngest daughter for following her heart! Then your middle daughter chose to do the same thing with her twins, because they chose to follow a different path and needed to get as faraway from their mother's and Grandmother's poisonous teachings! It was only after a health scare that your husband handed over complete ownership of the family store to his daughters. They returned home not for you, but as a sense of duty to the family, and nothing more." Rory let loose her fury on the two of them.

"The very fact that you were even invited was because of a clerical error! They used the old list instead of the trimmed down one that Rory, both our Grams, mother, and I approved of." Dromi was just as furious as her sister.

"Now girls you mustn't let their sour apple dispositions upset you or the little ones you're carrying." Molly stood up and put an arm around each of the girls. "I'll not have my goddaughters miserable on their wedding day nor will I allow anyone to spoil it for you!" She narrowed her eyes at Marcella and her mother. "Boys the two of them have outstayed their welcome, so do with them what you wish, and that includes their husbands as well. They are nothing to me and haven't been since the moment I met my Arthur."

"Or to me for that matter since I met my Milo and I was only good enough in their eyes again because I had my son Miles." Milly scowled.

"Aunt Molly's right the four of you have more than overstayed your welcome and should be prepared to face the music for your unspeakable actions this evening." Frankie and Desi growled.

"Yes, you more than dug your own social graves and are no longer welcome here." Franc was only too pleased to throw them out and be done with it.

"I hear living out your golden years in the middle of nowhere is all the rage these days." Beau had never been a fan of either woman and had only tolerated them, because they were direct relation of the owner of his place of work.

"Beau you left out the part about the four of them being wiped of all memory by the O Squad." Miles kept his tone low a sure sign that he was furious at them.

"GIRLS! I AM YOUR MOTHER! I GAVE YOU BOTH LIFE!" Marcella and her mother clung to each other in terror, as the reality of their fates finally set in. "You can't do anything of the sort we have friends who will…"

"No one will miss you, because after we're done with you none of them will even know you're alive." James loathed people like this and was only too happy to give them hell.

"No instead in everyone's eyes your girls lost their parent's and grandparents in a tragic car accident this past June. Because of this Desi and Frankie returned to take over the family store with Franc and Beau as their equal partners. Do I need to say more?" Harry narrowed his eyes at them.

"My grandson is quite the expert at spinning a tale and I've just the thing for such a situation as this one." Stephen already was one step ahead of his grandson.

"Well now, you can't let the other two miss all the action now can you." Draco and Ron had Mitchell by the arm and Bill and Charlie had Giles.

"Let's take this into the Green Drawing Room shall we." Arthur growled.

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING AND THESE RUFFIANS ARE TO UNHAND US THIS INSTANT!" Giles snarled in outrage as he was dragged into the Music Room with his son-in-law, wife, and daughter.

"YES THIS IS AN OUTRAGE SIR…" Mitch also wasn't realizing the gist of the entire situation, but Wills was about to change all of that.

"No you sirs and your wives actions are what is an outrage and believe you me the four of you are going to regret ever spewing such tripe about what's mine! I am married to a Pendragon! She is my Queen, soul mate, love of my life, and mother of our unborn twins! The Pendragon's blood is bluer than everyone here combined! None of them are freaks, mongrels, or classless nouveau riche upstarts by any means of the word! Your titles are hereby stripped no longer are you the Lords or Lady's of anything! You are not welcome in my home and are fortunate that my days of ordering for ones heads are no longer an option for me as King or by damn the four of you would be less your heads!" Wills pronounced sentence.

"I say escort them out of the Palace and have them placed under house arrest until their fates are finally decided." Henry growled.

"You could bring them up on charges as potential threats to the Crown of both royal Houses. Nanda has it all on DVD, so everything they've said has been documented, and can be used as evidence." Miles suggested.

"MILES!" Giles glowered at him.

"SILENCE YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN SPOKEN TO!" Wills roared at Giles. "Miles I shall take that under consideration."

"Kingsley and Dagwood, I want you to get them out of here before they upset my babies anymore than they already have." Lily growled from the doorway.

"Let's go you four and don't try anything or we cuff you." Dag ordered.

"We don't take kindly to those threatening or slandering the royal families." Kings was all for humiliating them in public.

"YOU'RE RUINING OUR WEDDING DAY!" Rory and Dromi were in tears and an emotional mood swing brought on by all of this turmoil.

"I have seen and heard more than enough remove them from this room at once!" Anna made her presence known.

"They should have done away with the lot of you!" Ginevra snarled at Anna.

"All of your unions will bring nothing but tears!" Marcella hissed.

"Will you two shut up before you get us all killed! That talk is considered treason!" Mitch snarled at the two women.

"Yes be quiet all of you. Like it or not being of both worlds Marcella, Ginevra, and I have more than sealed our fates and Mitchell mouthed off to Merlin so his was sealed hours ago. Our bitterness over the loss of our sons all those years ago has resulted in our undoing. The very fact that Stephen has had his entire family restored to him and the unfairness of that has fueled that bitterness and hate even more." Giles turned to lock eyes with Stephen.

"Kings hold it for a second I need to clear something up for our Mr. Prewett. From the moment I stepped foot in Hogwarts…no from the moment I got my letter. I went through six years of hell on Earth to fight a war that all of you fled from. I won it single handedly by taking out Voldemort at sixteen with my bare hands! I lost my parents at one and so many months! I was set in a home that was more like a prison! And then when I learned the truth of whom I was, had to go through an even worse hell on Earth to survive! So I earned getting my family back with my own blood, sweat, and tears. Grandfather had nothing to do with it, so you can take your bitterness and go to hell!" Harry set them straight.

"Everyone that was restored fought to protect our world! Gave their lives for the cause and their families sacrificed everything to save our way of life and our world! You shunned your heritage and now that you've seen that your eldest daughter went on to live a happy, healthy, life, full of love you have the nerve to fault her for it?! You made a deal with the devil, and were even going to marry off your eldest daughter to be taken off the death list! Much to your extreme displeasure Aunt Molly was not going to play along and your deal was bungled costing you the lives of your sons all those decades ago. You and only you were at fault for setting those wheels in motion and for what to keep a clean blue-blooded family tree? That's a bunch of tripe, because everyone can and does live in harmony with each other in our world no matter what their bloodline! We shucked all of that falderal about full-blood, half-blood, muggle-born, and squib. Family matters a hell of a lot more than pedigree and no one, not even you, or ones like you can stop us from believing or spreading that philosophy across both our worlds." Hermione stood in the doorway with Jamie in her arms.

"You are nothing like my mum and for that I am eternally grateful. She is the best mother that any daughter could ever wish for. My brothers and I thank the powers that be every day that we have her and our equally brilliant daddy in our lives and that our kids get to have the chance to know them too." Ginny was holding Rafe. "And we look forward to having Aunt Milly and Uncle Milo in our lives too. Momma deserves to have the sane sister of the family back in her life again. Miles, Frankie, and Desi are more than welcome as well. You four however are not and for that I pity the lot of you, because you have missed the best things to ever happen in your lives."

"She means your daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all brilliantly smashing people that you chose to shun and for that reason are missing something wonderful. Our world is at peace for millenniums to come, because Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I among countless others, sacrificed everything to free them, and bring peace to our world." Luna eyed them with soulful eyes.

"Desi and I choose magic, love, true friendship, and happiness and so has Miles. We choose to get to know our other family and don't wish your influence in our lives anymore." Frankie walked over to the four of them. "You will have to face what fate hands down on you alone."

"You exiled your own daughters from your lives and we choose to do the same with you." Desi stood beside her sister.

"In case you need a translation it means the four of you are dead to us and I will shed no tears or have no regrets when you are gone." Miles motioned for Kings and Dagwood to take them away. "We're done here do with them what you will."

"Kings take them to headquarters. They can stew in a holding cell and will face their judgment when a decision has been made." James growled.

"With pleasure let's go you lot. Smitty, you got your wish, you'll finally get to see our version of your his majesties secret service." Kings and Smitty escorted them out of the drawing room.

"Mend them instead of banishing them to solitude. Wipe their memories and set them up in a nice quaint mortal life on the Isle of Avalon. The main punishment has already been dealt. They've missed all of your lives, so why not take the high road?" Dani stood in the doorway blinking sleepily up at all of them. "Maybe they didn't have mummies and Daddy's that loved them and that's why they ended the way they did."

Harry walked over to scoop her up into his arms. "Well then Miss Dani we shall follow your advice and mend them just like you so brilliantly suggested." He kissed her on the top of her head.

"You were loud and I couldn't sleep…" Dani snuggled against his shoulder and settled off to sleep.

"I'm sorry we were loud. Do you wanna cuddle with me for a bit and then go back to bed?" Harry asked softly, but his baby girl was snoozing contently against his shoulder. "The boys okay love?"

"Just awake and curious," Hermione cuddled her son against her shoulder and gently rubbed his back. "They want us and not Sadie or Aunt Elizabeth, so it just might be us calling it a night."

"You two enjoy the rest of the evening. Arthur and I will cuddle the boys and get them settled back in the nursery after a bit." Molly happily took Jamie and Arthur took Rafe out of Ginny's arms.

"And I will take this little wonder." Stephen carefully pried Dani's little fingers from her father's designer suit jacket. "That's it precious you just snuggle with Great-Grandpa for a while."

"After the scene the four of them just created you need to go show a united front and reassure your guests that all is well." Anna was all for watching over Dani and relaxing with Stephen. "The four of us will chat with Merlin and Mab and devise a suitable solution to the current problem, while the rest of you enjoy the rest of the evening."

"No real harm was done, because First-Gramps cast an _Imperturbable Charm_ all around the Bow Room and Green Room as well." James shrugged. "Most everyone was in the gardens or dancing and with the music from the symphony orchestra going on no one could really make out anything that was being said."

Harry eyed his watch it was going on nine. "We've got an hour or so of dancing and whatnot before the fireworks extravaganza. Then I would think its bed for our mothers-to-be and the rest of us. Because we have to get up in the morning for the coronation, another all-day event ending with even more dinner then dancing at the Coronation Ball."

"Let's go Dream. I fancy a bit of dancing with my handsome husband." Rory wrapped her arms around Wills waist and snuggled close as he led her out of the room.

"Yes my handsome rogue dance with me." Dromi purred in Henry's ear and he to lead her out of the room.

"Come along Wolfe, I fancy a dance as well." Hermione pulled a reluctant Harry with her out of the room.

--

"Draco is it me or does it look like the four of them are pairing off?" Ron's attention was now centered on the going on between his cousins, Franc, and Beau.

"It was Franc himself who told Draco and I that he and Beau were not nearly as male oriented as all of us think. He said females and dealing with them in any other way other than friendship has never been one of their strong suits. Not that the two are repulsed by us, just not interested. They make wonderful friends, but other than that not really their cup of tea. My guess is the two of them are wary of women because of some horrid dating experience when they were teens. The two of them are simply best mates that just share a flat together and that is all there is to it." Gin rolled her eyes at Ron.

"Oh they shed their work selves like an actor does after finishing a role for the day and keep their private lives completely separate from their very public ones." Luna eyed Franc and Beau thoughtfully.

"So that's why Franc was so ratty about his new look at work, not because he loathed it, but because he felt as if he were merging his two different sides." Gin frowned.

"If that's the case then they should have clued us all in ages ago." Ron scowled.

"Relax Ronnie. They're harmless and part of the family." Luna kissed him to soothe him.

"You don't think…no forget it Franc's been a squib until today and to be a Metamorphmagus you have to be…but then it's never been proven just implied…" Draco brainstormed the possibilities.

"There's only one way to find out and if anyone knows the inner workings of a Metamorphmagus then its Charlie." Ron interrupted Bill and Charlie's chat about Bill's latest find. "Charlie does Tonks do anything magic, you know say a spell, or anything like that when she changes her appearance?"

Charlie turned around puzzled by his little brother's question. "No she just concentrates on what she wants to look like or how to blend into her surroundings when on a mission and it just happens."

"What's with the sudden curiosity baby brother?" Bill arched a brow at him.

"Uh, Ryan and Tyler asked me about it this morning and I didn't have an answer for them." Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah Matt, takes after his mum and is just beginning to show signs of being a Metamorphmagus. Dora was showing Matt there was nothing to be scared about him being able to change his hair or eye color, so that could be why the twins are curious." Charlie grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, that could be it and the two of them are jealous." Ron nodded deciding to keep the two of them thinking that he was just asking for the twins and not because something was up with Franc and Beau.

"Charlie there you are, let's go I feel like dancing." Tonks walked over to her husband and he put an arm around her.

"Bill you promised…" Fleur glided over to Bill and pouted up at him with soulful blue eyes. "Before our son makes me sleepy again."

"And our daughter does the same to me." Tonks sighed placing Charlie's hand on her swollen middle.

"Just for a little while or you'll be too tired to watch the fireworks." Bill pulled her into his arms and his unborn son kicked him hello. "Bobby likes the music." He chuckled.

"Yes, I know maybe us waltzing will settle him to sleep." Fleur sighed.

"Why are the three of you staring at Franc and Beau like they have two heads?" Tonks sensed something was afoot.

"Yes, they've called a truce. Is it not wonderful that they've taken the first step towards being friends?" Fleur frowned at the four of them.

"Yeah, it's great." Ron grumbled.

"Bloody smashing…" Draco muttered darkly.

"Honestly you two. If Franc and Beau are getting over their phobia then all the better for them and we should support them not fault them." Ginny rolled her eyes in disgust at the two of them.

"Yes, it doesn't mean that they change their appearances, after work hours, or that Franc can metamorph like Dora can." Luna wanted to dance, so she pulled Ron out of the room and off to the dance floor.

"Enough with the sleuthing, I fancy a dance, and if its not you then I'll ask one of the boys to dance." Ginny stalked off in a huff.

"Gin don't be like that!" Draco raced after her.

"His appearance has changed…I just never thought that it was possible, so it's not a magical trait after all." Tonks scowled.

"Let's go babe the dance floor awaits." Charlie got her out of the room before she could go confront her cousin.

Bill was narrowing his eyes at Franc.

"Be detective later you promised." Fleur dragged a reluctant Bill off to dance.

"Worry about it later let's dance." Desi and Frankie each took Franc and Beau by the arms and they reluctantly followed as if to their doom.

--

"So how's your documentary fairing?" Rose walked over to Nanda.

"Yes, I imagine it's gonna be a fascinating piece." The Doctor pulled Rose back against him and set his chin on her head.

"It's going to be some of my best work yet." Nanda eyed the two of them thoughtfully. "So how does this rate with all of your other adventures?"

"This is just what the doctor ordered, something fascinating to watch, but with far less violence." The Doctor smirked.

"This is brilliant. It rates up there with all our adventures and we're here as part of the family and not under a guise, well, that's even better." Rose smiled.

"We're minus two lords and ladies, not that it's a big loss, and no one seems to notice their disappearance." The Doctor mused.

"The four of them are under custody at headquarters with their fates yet to be decided." Miles had come to persuade Nanda to dance.

"Good riddance. No offense Miles, but they deserve what's going to be done to them." Nanda frowned.

"Not to worry Nanda, trust me they'll never do anything like this again." Miles growled.

"As it is the four of them are facing exile or worse." The Doctor added.

"Worse? How worse can it get?" Rose frowned.

"_Memoria Deleo_ is what I would assume that they would use on the four of them and then would in turn use _Memoria Restituo _on all of us so no one is any the wiser. It's similar to what was used on a certain boy prince not to mention all who knew of him." The Doctor kept his voice low as he answered her question.

"Okay then that's most likely the last we'll see or even think of any of them and all the better for it." Rose bit down on her lip and shot Miles a guilty look. "Sorry Miles, but they are simply horrid people."

"No need to be sorry I agree and it was me that suggested something far worse than that try exile on a deserted island." Miles grumbled. "I've never been close to them just Frankie and Desi."

"So what changed all of your minds?" Nanda asked.

"Not what but whom… she's being cuddled by her Great- Grandfather. She suggested that we mend them instead of banishing them to solitude. We're to wipe their memories, and set them up in a nice quaint mortal life on the Isle of Avalon. After all, the main punishment had already been dealt. They missed all of our lives, so we should take the high road. Oh and that maybe they didn't have mummies and Daddy's that loved them and that's why they ended the way they did." Miles chuckled. "Her bond with Harry is so strong that his emotions woke her up and she snuck out of the family wing to see what was wrong with her Daddy."

"Dani has so much promise and her ability to see things through, while everyone else is in emotional turmoil, and come up with brilliant solutions is one of her greatest assets." The Doctor smiled. "So how does it feel to have a nearly five-year-old take control of a tense situation?"

"Humbling," Miles grinned sheepishly. "She's more like five going on twenty-five though."

"Dani never went through all the turmoil that most of the others did, so she doesn't have the emotional baggage to draw from." Rose turned in her husband's arms to snuggle closer.

"Although, she did get a taste of the baddies in the muggle world a week after her brothers were born." Nanda grimaced.

"Oh really, I wouldn't think it possible." Rose turned to stare at her in confusion. "I mean Harry and Hermione are uber protective, not to mention the two of them both see things right?"

"Rose my love, things happen regardless of whether you wish them to or not." The Doctor kissed the top of her head. "Most times it's difficult to decipher dreams from what will be and you just shrug them off as nightmares."

"I was on leave when it all went down. Those kidnappers didn't have a chance in hell of reining in Dani. Not when she's mates with a certain Baron and his loyal servant who smells of rotten eggs when he makes an entrance or leaves the scene of the crime. The irony that their choice of hideout was an old rundown pub that went by the name The Leaky Barrel. That two of them were bloody cowards when it came to anything unusual. Not to mention that to a certain Queen of Hearts Dani is one of her own, and you have a bungled job from minute one." Miles smirked.

"It's not funny Miles, Dani was kidnapped." Nanda scowled at him in disgust.

"Kidnapped out from under her parents eyes…" Rose found that hard to believe.

"No darling, taken while under the watch of her Aunts and Uncles during the dedication of an Olympic venue. The little darling was parched and didn't think any harm would befall her if she snuck over to the refreshment table for a bottle of juice. She found herself caught unawares and as she was on to coin Miles term 'unusual restriction' wasn't able to defend herself." The Doctor, tapping into his talent of knowing and seeing all past, present, and future, corrected her. "Everyone's eyes were elsewhere. Ron was on the mobile about a situation at another event. Luna was on her mobile checking on her boys. Angelina was off taking care of a situation at the train station. It had put Kings and the others on high alert and focused on Wills, Henry, Rory, and Dromi. Just like the genius of the bunglers plan and that's when they abducted Dani."

"Blimey you really do know everything don't you Uncle Doc." Miles acted gobsmacked to see if he could get a rise out of him.

"No comment, now go take a twirl on the dance floor with Nanda or face a very lonely future." The Doctor was no longer amused.

"Be nice. He didn't mean to strike a nerve." Rose folded her arms across her chest and shot him a scathing look.

"Unreal it still gets his back up and here I thought this was a less sullen incarnation of my Uncle Doc." Miles eyes danced with humor.

"Uncle Doc?" Nanda's curiosity was beyond peaked.

"Yeah, he's been a friend of my Dad's family for generations. I got to know a few of his incarnations. I got a chance to see the various sides of him and some of his companions like Sara Jane, who could ever forget Romy, and then he met his destiny in Aunt Rose." Miles ignored his withering stare.

Rose was standing between her beloved and Miles. "Nanda get him away from here before my man here gives into his urge to throttle Miles."

"My favorite of all of them was unconventional, fancied this amazingly long stripped scarf, gave out these jelly candies, and took the time to teach me how to use a yo-yo. I still have the one he gave me. It's brilliant to use as an outlet to relieve stress or in times of need makes a handy weapon." Miles always carried it with him it was his good luck charm, so he took it out of his trouser pocket. "It might be a little worse for wear, but it's still in excellent working order." Miles proceeded to demonstrate by performing a series of intricate tricks.

"I see the student has become the master." The Doctor smiled proudly eyes beaming with pride. "Jolly good show Miles."

"Mi leave it to you to try to upstage a symphony orchestra with that old friend of yours." Henry stood there with Dromi cuddled at his side smirking at his best mate.

"Now, now little brother, that toy of his, thanks to the wielders pinpoints accuracy and expertise, has gotten us out of many a dodgy situation." Wills countered earning a scathing look from his Queen.

"You really did disarm that extremist with a yo-yo!" Dromi, Rory, and Nanda exclaimed.

"Yeah, more or less it's what I do. I kept these two characters in one piece while they browsed, regardless of the risk, at a bazaar on a stopover in Cairo. This was all mind you the day before taking part in overseeing the removal of land mines in a nearby country, using the new technology." Miles acted as if his heroic actions were not a big deal.

"Yeah, well, we were meeting the girls in the morning and fancied getting them a present in a very public outdoor marketplace." Wills sulked.

"That and we were meeting Bill and he was gonna show us his latest find." Henry grumbled. "All it got us was a week on the couch."

"You ditched your guards knowing all along there was a threat! We had a right to be furious with you." Rory growled. "You took far too many risks…" Her dark mood turned to a full on pout and tearing eyes.

"You're worth more than all the treasure in the universe and you…" Dromi was blinking back tears.

"Shush baby it was two years ago and we more than learned our lesson." Henry pulled her into his arms and held her close to him.

"Yes my tigress its all water under the bridge and there was much ill feelings in the world." Wills cradled Rory's face between his hands and gently kissed away her tears before giving her the sweetest kiss.

Flashes went off all around them as if to capture the touching moments in time.

"So much for tender private moments," Rose grumbled.

"Oh we still have them and we treasure them like the most precious gems in the world, but at functions like this we're out for show." Henry wanted nothing more than to call it a night, but another appearance out on the balcony to watch the fireworks would have to come first.

"My rein will be a hell of a lot different from my Grams, because my family will take just as much of a spotlight as my duties to the crown and our people. It's a stipulation more like an amendment that I had added to our coronation vows tomorrow. I don't have near as vast of an empire as Grams had when she took the crown, so this crown first family last tripe is gonna change." Wills protectively shielded Rory from the blinding flashes going on all around them. His temper snapped causing all the equipment that didn't belong to members of the family to go tilt.

"I'm exhausted the twins don't follow a schedule and I'm usually cuddled up in your arms by now." Rory yawned burying her face against his shoulder.

"No fireworks for you tonight. Let's get you and our babies tucked in bed for the night." Wills swept her up into his arms.

"You read my mind big brother." Henry already had Dromi snoozing against his shoulder in his arms.

Their parents signaled for the music to stop.

"I was wondering how stubborn our girls were gonna be or if their babies would win in the end." James sighed as the four of them walked over to the four of them.

"They've had a long day and need to call it a night, as it is Rory is barely awake and Dromi is already sleeping in Henry's arms." Lily worried over her girls.

"Maybe we should move the coronation to…" Sarah also was more concerned for the girls than the coronation tomorrow.

"Yes, it's too much for the two of them, so I'll make the call." Andrew was in complete agreement.

"No. I'll be fine after I get some rest. We are not going to ruin what's been years in the making or disappoint our people." Rory opened one eye up to glare regally at the four of them. "Oh crumbs, do we have to follow tradition with the bouquet and garter. I know I'm not up for that." She pouted up at Wills.

"No we are simply allowed to leave whenever we feel like it." Wills kissed her brow. "So close those gorgeous violet eyes of yours and go to sleep.

"That's ….ss…nice." Rory snuggled contently against his shoulder and was sound asleep in moments.

"We'll make the call on if the coronation is still a go in the morning." Wills wasn't about to have her go through with that if she wasn't up to the challenge and tedious proceedings.

"I'll tell the council just in case." Andrew nodded.

"We've got to get these two and their precious cargo tucked in, so you four can handle telling all the guests' thank you and all that." Henry yawned.

"Just take care of the girls. We'll handle the rest as it is there's a sudden shower outside so no one is going to mind missing the fireworks tonight. Most of the family has already called it a night and majority of our mama's-to-be are all tucked in bed." James was also more than ready to turn in.

"Well then we shall see you in the morning." Wills and Henry headed off to the family wing and the private apartments.

--

Chapter 21

Regalia or Royal Headache

--

I do not claim any of Jo's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	21. Regalia or Royal Headache

HP New Marauders

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 21

Regalia or Royal Headache

--

Let the headache begin. I've been having a rough last few months… last September 28th I suffered a great loss in my family my beloved best friend and loyal companion died suddenly...He was my muse and it's taking me time to want to really get into writing again and so the reason that it took so long to get chapter 20 out and getting out this chapter has been a chore seeing as my monitor on the computer that I do the stories on died on my poor ancient Gateway...and I'm not that big of a fan of my cousins laptop computer seeing as I'm used to my natural keyboard and I keep hitting the caps lock button and my palm hits the touch pad...anyway hope you enjoy the chapter and as always blessed be to you all.

--

When morning arrived it was Wills not Rory, who was worse for wear and munching on a breakfast of saltine crackers and peppermint tea.

"I'll never survive at this rate neither of them were happy about our morning wakeup call and are blaming me for their Mummy not being able to sleep in." Wills moaned in misery.

"I feel for you big brother really I do, but the fact is that Rory is the nurturer who keeps the two of them all safe and snug and you aren't." Harry was enjoying his tea, toast, and omelet.

"Stress upsets them and three consecutive days of stress is pushing their micro ability to understand all of what's going on with their mummy, so they in turn take it out on you. The one who has the power to make it all vanish, by weakening your defenses and making you sick." Hermione broadened Harry's point-of-view.

"If Rory's stressed then she's sure as hell isn't showing any signs of it nor is she conveying it to me. She's Miss Mary Sunshine the picture of health and radiantly beautiful." Wills shot everyone at the table a desperate look. "How do you reason with them about something that's out of my control? I'm King. Rory's my Queen and with that comes our formal coronation by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey…" Wills sprang to his feet and raced for the bathroom.

--

A little while later

"Morning everyone," Rory breezed happily into the Music Room, in her comfy robe, her hair already braided ready for her crown, and looked around the room. "Wills finish eating already?"

"Uh, no baby he hasn't quite managed breakfast yet." James smiled at his daughter.

"My darling girl you look radiant this morning and ready to take on the world." Lily sipped her tea.

"Or coronation mum's right you're looking lovely this morning." Harry smiled warmly.

"The press is gnawing on the changes to the ceremony as well as the use of faux fur instead of killing any animals for the coronation regalia and peerages capes." Draco yawned.

"Faux fur looks just as real as the other." Ginny growled.

"Ancient robes like wizarding regalia are one thing, because they are past down from generation to generation. But new robes and capes where cute fur balls and other animals are killed for their creation is not necessary and this way we set a good example as well." Rory sat down to eat her breakfast.

"It's basically a 'my capes longer and fancier than yours' contest anyway, so why have animals suffer because of it." Luna agreed.

"At least these capes and what have you don't require such high-maintenance." Hermione yawned.

"Every new era needs to start on its own footing with its own boundary's." The Doctor was enjoying the chat and his morning cup of tea.

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to sit through days of meetings where the furriers whined about tradition and class with the other side of the coin growling at them about animal cruelty." Ron rolled his eyes.

"Fur has always showcased ones rank in society. You can't teach old coddlers new tricks. They're just too stubborn and set in their ways." Rose jumped into the conversation.

"Just blame the change on us little ones and they'll have no choice but to behave." Dani suggested. "We didn't like having furry animals killed and you came up with a solution to your quandary."

"They'll get all gooey and stuff and forget all about the real fur." DJ nodded agreeing.

"Seriously, who wants to wear a weasel anyway and killing baby seals for their pelts is just barbaric. Who gives a fig how many spots are on ones cape? They don't even have titles that matter anymore. The immediate royal family is one thing, but downsizing the cousins and whatnot from the line and demoting them to lesser ranks like Lord's and Lady's or Sir's and Dame's simplify everything immensely. I mean they were only sponging off the people. I doubt they paid for their rent at Kensington Palace or their other grand estates. So what if they're King so-in-so's great whatever grandchildren or what have you. I hope they can live out their golden years in their country estates with what savings they managed to tuck away, excluding any crown jewels. I mean, they're no longer Princesses, princes, dukes, duchesses, marquises, marchionesses, counts, countesses, viscounts, viscountesses, barons, or baronesses. Plus, it does belong to the crown." Dani thoughtfully munched on her bacon, as she voiced her thoughts about the whole line of succession nonsense that had been five hundred names long.

Her family shot her amused and fascinated looks.

"Don't look at me like that I mean seriously five hundred in line to the throne get real! Uncle Wills and Aunt Rory are all this country needs…Oh and Uncle Henry, Aunt Dromi, Aunt Sarah, Uncle Andrew, Aunt Bea, Aunt Genie, and Nana Elizabeth of course." She added hastily as not to offend anyone at the table.

"No sweetie, I agree with you. The apron strings needed cutting decades ago. Our new PM and I oversaw the downsizing every step of the way. Providing the ones in question with a tidy pension that if they're intelligent should keep them comfortable, not as comfortable as they're accustomed to, but then everyone has to learn sometime." Andrew was fascinated at how intuitive Dani was on the subject.

"I had to learn and so shall they." Sarah smirked.

"You're brilliant Mummy and you faced your demons with flying colors. Our cousins well one can only hope." Bea was also smirking.

"I doubt they've ever kept finances or house in their lives." Genie giggled.

"Now girls your cousins grew up in an entirely different era." Elizabeth chided her granddaughters.

"What I can't understand is why support all of them for decades when their predecessors let their cousins in Russia get wiped out like that, but then at the time it was every royal for themselves." Dani blurted out.

"Danielle!" Harry, Hermione, James, Lily, and the other family members shocked by her statement choked on their morning tea.

"What? It was during then the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha surname was changed to Windsor. Just like Great-Grandpa did to our own surname during the dark times after Great-Great Grandma and Grandpa were murdered." Dani wrinkled her nose in displeasure. "People make bad decisions especially ones of royal rank. Rasputin was an evil vile Dark Wizard not unlike Voldy was. Your cousins pampered themselves lavishly and neglected their own people. Making them easily swayed to his dark influence, not that they were better-off afterwards they weren't, but then one has to crawl before learning how to walk and eventually run."

"It's barely eight in the morning much to early to analyze what or who went wrong where." Henry and Dromi joined them all for breakfast.

"It's beyond clear that you are well versed on your World and British history and your take on it is fascinating all be that extremely cutthroat in nature." The Doctor winked at Dani.

"No not really she just doesn't see things through rose-colored glasses nor does she show bias towards either side of the issue." Dromi fixed herself a plate of breakfast from the buffet and sat down next to Rory.

"Dani researches the history and location on any function that we have to attend…" Ally rolled her eyes at her sister.

"So she can use that knowledge for a game she plays, so as not to be bored to tears." Mia finished.

"Knowledge is power and I like to know about where I am or why we're there. I make a scavenger hunt of sorts from what I know and it keeps me from being bored out of my mind." Dani sulked.

"Yeah and it keeps us from, uh, being under foot and stuff." DJ thought she needed a little back up, so he chimed in that bit of information.

"The secret spots are great…" Ty added.

"Yeah and she knows all of them." Ryan nodded.

"Those places are wicked cosmic to use for hide-in-seek." MJ sounded off.

"But we only use the safe ones." Izzy added hastily because the adults at the table were all shooting them not so happy looks.

"Oh honestly, we're the next generation, a few musty old passageways aren't gonna hurt us nor are we gonna stumble across a Fluffy or worse. Now if you will all excuse me I need to gather myself before this whole migraine of a day begins." Dani not in the mood for the lecture vanished from her chair.

"That was a budding Hermione moment if ever I saw one." Wills was leaning against the doorjamb looking ghastly pale.

"There you are…" Rory turned to greet him with a smile that quickly turned into a worried frown. "Oh baby… you look…"

"Like death warmed over? Yeah, tell me something I don't know. Our son and daughter aren't playing nice this morning." Wills gingerly took his seat beside Rory and laid his head against her shoulder. "It would be nice to be able to keep at least my tea and vitamins down this morning…"

"You sure it isn't nerves?" Rory conjured a cloth and bathed his face with it.

"No I get migraines for that. This is not nerves unless the babies aren't too keen on hearing all that jubilant noise again…this really isn't fair I can't even keep the potion down that is supposed to correct this condition." Wills moaned as his stomach started doing flips again.

"Well we can always stow some airsickness bags…" Henry suggested.

"Oh yeah, like that's all I need. I can just hear the news now. King William V suffered from such severe stage fright that they resorted to using barf bags so as not to soil the Gold State Coach's interior or the priceless heirloom regalia that he was wearing." Wills buried his face in his arms.

"Now Tiger that's not true everyone knows how you're sharing in my pregnancy after seeing you react at the rehearsal dinner and then on the steps at the Cathedral." Rory crooned as she soothingly stroked his head.

"Oh gods, I just remembered it's not just I it's we you are gonna have to say we and then…" Wills was nearly in tears of misery and frustration.

"Then nothing, cuz I'm talking to them and they promise to be good for the rest of the day and that means that you or Uncle Henry can eat, drink, take your potion, or whatever." Dani appeared beside her Uncle and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "The babies just can't understand that they can't always get their way and making you pay is just not fair."

"You Little Bit are a darling girl for taking pity on me in my hour of need." Wills kissed the top of her head. "I know how you loathe being out in the spotlight and that you're on your last shred of patience, but it's nearly over and I promise that normalcy will be on you once more."

"You four are what this country needs and I clearly understand what all of this means. It's having to play the role of a normal five-year-old that I hate." Dani found herself picked up and cuddled in her father's lap.

"It truly is annoying being talked down to by all the muggles, as if we barely understood anything beyond our numbers, letters, and so forth." Ally scowled for once in full agreement with her sister.

"Or having our cheeks pinched all the time." DJ grumbled.

"Yeah or how adorable we are and then being suffocated by their yucky perfume when they hug or kiss our cheeks." MJ scowled.

"Or being told to run along to our nanny…" Ty muttered darkly.

"Cuz we're gettin underfoot and could break somethin…" Ry sulked.

"You can't leave out how big we are to be able to fasten or tie our shoes or know how to eat properly at the table." Izzy wrinkled her pert little nose and pursed her bow shaped mouth in distaste.

"I keep getting praised about being such a brave girl about my accident and my being able to master my new leg." Daph rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, our parents are highly intelligent not to mention gifted people and they act like it's a bloomin miracle that we can speak sentences, tell time, or understand what everyone is saying around us. So what if I can play music on the Harp or that Mia, and Ally can play the piano. It's nothing to gush over or nearly faint about." Dani vented her pent up frustration.

"Most kids your ages are just beginning to learn their numbers, letters, and learning to write their name is high on the list of challenges." Harry tweaked her nose.

"So we're not most kids." Dani pouted.

"No and after yesterday any doubt about the Mensa results Professor Dotty leaked to the press were put to rest. When you lost your temper with a group of guests and recited your alphabet and numbers up to 100 in ten different languages. Then translated what the President of France was saying about the First Gentleman of America's appetite to the equally amused Madame President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and our own PM." Andrew chuckled.

"After that Ally proceeded to describe how mischievous their sister was in fluent French and Mia translated for the rest of us." James grinned.

"I'd had all I could stand of them asking if I could show them how old I am…" Dani grumbled.

"Yes, but after that they treated us like we were walking talking muggle computers." Ally rolled her eyes at Dani.

"Now girls it taught you three a valuable lesson on what happens when you act impulsively around muggles during functions such as the ones like this weekend." Hermione lectured her daughters.

"Yanks are fascinated about wonder children, its top billing in the talk shows. They'll no doubt be contacting you, so that's another minus to showing off in front of the world too." Henry arched a brow at the three of them who all groaned in unison.

"Not bloody likely our kids are not up for show and appear only for family events such as this one or occasionally for special charity events." Harry got deadly serious.

"I'm sorry Daddy…I didn't mean too…" Dani's eyes pooled with tears and buried her face against his shoulder.

"Don't cry babydoll we know how these things drive you crackers and no one is upset with you or your sisters." Harry soothingly stroked her hair. "All of you are brilliant amazing wonders and we love you very much." He crooned soothingly.

"Muggles are morons." Ron muttered darkly. "This is no shock to any of us, because you two are their parents. Jo wasn't exaggerating about Hermione's intelligence or Harry's for that matter. It's all in the public records courtesy of Grandfather Stephen in case any muggle sharks got snoopy. Dotty leaked their official Mensa scores and we chose not to deny that they were false. We just didn't comment on your behalf, because it's not their business to begin with the three of them are ranked one and tie as second on the Junior Mensa list…"

"Ronald they did not need to know that now Ally and Dani will be at odds again…" Hermione glared at him.

"Mummy we already know that Dani got a higher score than us. Dani hacked into yours and Daddy's computers." Ally blurted out instantly regretting her slip of the tongue.

**(****Allysia Jamie Alexis they did not need to know that!)**Dani snarled at her sister when her father went from being so comforting to that of highly displeased. "Now Daddy I can explain why I did that…"

"What part of you don't need to know everything about yourselves did you not understand. We kept the scores from you for good reason and none of them are useful to you in any way. You three are equally special and we didn't want you and Ally to go rounds with each other again." Hermione narrowed her eyes at her girls.

"You should have trusted us. I mean you thought we could handle taking the tests, but after hours of boredom not allow us to see the results. Sorry Mummy and Daddy, but that's just not fair and no it didn't start Ally and I at each other again." Dani shot both her parents the same look.

**(I'm sorry I just didn't want Mummy and Uncle Ron to go rounds on today of all days!)** Ally growled back. "Dani being smarter than me or Ally was a given, since she's surpassed all of us in class, and is getting privately tutored until we're eleven. We were just curious about the results of all our arduous work." Ally calmly addressed her parents.

"The two of them formed a truce of sorts, so you really don't have to worry about them at all." Mia decided that mediation was in order. **(Will you two please go to your corners and let me get us out of this bungle that you've both gotten us into!) **Mia wasn't in the mood to referee one of her sister's tiffs.

**(Mia we're fine and not going to fight we promise.) **Dani and Ally eyed each other and then their sister. "Yeah, we're fine no turmoil here we promise." They both nodded their heads.

"Well then your father and I are sorry that we underestimated the two of you and are beyond pleased that you've decided to make peace with each other." Hermione apologized to her girls and they got out of their chairs to go hug her.

"Yes sweeties, we're sorry and we love you very much." Harry hugged her close.

"I think it's brilliant that you're one and two on the list. I'm number ten or something. No offense Daddy, but it was the dullest afternoon ever, it made you so happy, so it was well worth it." Daph kissed her father's cheek.

"It was necessary for you to be able to explore more challenging educational goals by placing you at..." Tim brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"I know by allowing me to be able to take university courses instead of staying at the primary or secondary level. Daddy I know all of that and yes was bored with it all and it worried you, but I've got magic to set my mind on now." She rolled her eyes at him laughing when he picked her up and set her on his lap.

"Aren't we the cheeky little monkey this morning?" Tim kissed her on the nose.

"No Daddy, just speaking my mind like you tell me to do." Daph grinned mischievously up at her father.

"She's right darling you do always say that she should say what she thinks or feels about whatever is on her mind." Delilah winked at her daughter.

"In the end all that matters is that one use their intelligence wisely and not foolishly. One can be the smartest of the lot, but it's not worth a damn unless you have the ability to harness all of it and apply that intelligence wisely." The Doctor wasn't the least bit surprised by their test scores on the Mensa exams and focused on the other younger ones at the table. "So DJ, Izzy, Ryan, and Tyler how did you and the rest of your cousins fair?"

"We haven't really wanted to sit through an afternoon of boring exams." MJ frowned.

"We were on Holiday with our parents when they took it." Izzy added.

"We're four what does it really matter if we're smart or not?" Ry and Ty shrugged their shoulders.

"I had other stuff to deal with like my mum hiding things from Daddy to even think of tagging along with them." DJ sighed. "Besides, I know that I'm smart otherwise keeping pace with Dani would be impossible."

"Point taken Lad," The Doctor chuckled.

"You're all kids embrace that for as long as you can. You've all the time in the world, so don't rush growing up so much all right." Rose advised the kids.

"Trust us Auntie Rose. We don't have any wish to tackle any of what you adults have to deal with daily. We're content to be kids for as long as our age requires us to do so." Dani spoke up for all the younger set.

"Okay guys let's get you both ready for the coronation." Ron stood up ignoring the desperate look that his sons were shooting him.

"But, it's worse than us wearing our fancy clothes and it don't look nothin' like a pirate either." His son grumbled as they were led out of the Music Room by their parents.

"Up you go pumpkin let's go get you pretty." James scooped up Izzy out of her chair.

"You too little man and no stalling either," Lily waited for MJ to scoot his little body out of his chair and then took his hand in her own to prevent him from trying to hide.

"But, it's not even close to the Three Musketeers like Daddy said it was." MJ whined in protest as the four of them also left to get ready for the coronation.

"You too DJ and no stalling," Ginny pointed to the doorway.

"Let's go son we'll suffer through this together," Draco wasn't all that thrilled about the peerage costume that he was going to have to wear either.

"Daddy it's so humiliating and way worse than yesterday…" DJ grumbled when his father picked him up and carried him out of the room.

"Let's go girl's time for us to get ready as well." Hermione and Harry were also not that excited about having to go through yet another long royal ceremony.

"Well a fancy dress is way better than having to wear breeches and all that other stuff." For once in her life Dani was happy to be a girl.

"We're happy that you feel that way angel." Harry and Hermione led them out of the room.

--

"We hear you there munchkin." Henry grumbled.

"You!! I have to wear hell of a lot more than that, so be a man and suck it up!" Wills glowered angrily at his little brother.

"Let's go Dromi before the two of them start comparing whose is bigger than whose." Rory and Dromi got up to leave.

"Hey, that was low!" Wills and Henry glared at their wives retreating backs as they left the room.

"Honestly, men can be such babies." Bea rolled her eyes in disgust at her older half brothers.

"I mean wearing a Tux, designer suit, military dress, or anything you'll have to wear today is nothing compared to what we go through to make ourselves proper princesses. Some gowns have corsets and I'd love to see one of you get tied into one and then try to be able to sit or above all breathe. Tiara's or even coronets tend to be heavy and the braided up do's that we have to be styled in usually bring on nasty headaches." Eugenie got up from her chair to glower down at her half brothers. "So what if your trousers are archaic and give you atomic wedgies live with it!" She stalked regally out of the room.

"Genie's right men can be such babies sometimes!" Bea stalked after her baby sister, but not before adding. "This isn't for you big brother. It's for the people, out of respect for Grams, and you are honoring an age-old tradition that has been followed for centuries. So you big brother need to suck it up and act like the KING!"

"Having worn breeches or something along that fashion for several of my regenerations I can sympathize with the two of you." The Doctor and Rose decided it was time to take their leave and get ready as well. "Although, from what I've seen, my peerage clothes seems to be a great deal more modern than archaic and tuxedo's require tailored fitting and don't even remotely resemble anything like breeches."

Andrew, Sarah, and Elizabeth could no longer contain their amusement and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Yeah and why is he getting special treatment?"

Dromi stalked back into the Music Room and tossed the garment bag at her husband. "That you big baby is what you're wearing! Your army officers dress uniform not archaic breeches or what the royal court wears on Avalon."

"Honestly William, you weren't snarling at Harry and Hermione's first wedding and you're not wearing anything close to that." Rory appeared with Wills own garment bag. "What is so wrong with your military dress trousers, dress shirt, and crimson surcoat?"

"OH HA, HA, VERY FUNNY… NO REALLY I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR SUCCESS IN MAKING ME LOOK AN UTTER FOOL!" Wills glared murderously at his father, grams, and stepmother.

"Not just you all of us guys had to go through those fittings for our official peerage costumes!" Henry muttered darkly.

"We decided to take pity on all of you and go with the more modern than with ancient tradition. Mother and I wanted to teach you a lesson about being more involved in these momentous events in your lives instead of standing back and letting everyone else decide everything for you." Andrew matched their glares with an equally disgusted one of his own.

"Now honey, trust me they'll never do that again." Sarah kissed his cheek.

"One is never too old to be taught this particular lesson." Elizabeth regally got out of her chair and shot them a scathing look.

"Yes Grams, we've more than learned our lesson and deserved what was done to us." Wills sighed in defeat.

"Yes Grams, we're sorry we acted like spoiled brats." Henry felt lower than low.

"Men loathe planning anything it's just a fact of life no matter what class they happen to fall under. They get all testy when nervous about something and usually growl about what they have to wear as a means of venting any nervous tension." Rose put in her bit of female wisdom.

"Brilliant as always my beautiful flower," The Doctor pulled her to him for a kiss.

"Yes Rose that was a lovely summation. Now let us all go prepare for Wills and Rory's coronations." Elizabeth ended the discussion.

"I'll take an energy tonic it should tide me over until after the ceremony." Wills got to his feet.

"I hear you there big brother teAn AND toast will have to do it for me as well." Henry also had lost his appetite and got up to leave.

"We figured as much and have your tonics waiting for you in our rooms. Now let's go the sooner we're dressed in regalia the faster day will be." Rory and Dromi were swept up into the arms of their husbands and carried out of the Music Room and the rest of the family followed them.

--

Westminster Abbey

:Daddy can you believe how much crimson red is in this place? It's almost blinding, it's stuffy in here too, and how long do we have to hold onto our coronets?: Dani used her link with her father to chat. She glanced up at her parents, who were standing directly behind her and her sisters in the royal viewing gallery. They had a front row seat of the coronation ceremony and all eyes were on Wills and Rory as they entered the Abbey.

:Just stand still and watch. No fidgeting. Leave your cape alone. We place our coronets on our heads after Wills and Rory are crowned and not a moment before. Now keep your eyes on the Chairs of Estate the ceremony is about to begin.: Hermione placed a gentle hand on Dani's shoulder.

:Yes baby, I agree there is an awful lot of crimson that's blinding to the eye and it is stuffy in here. Up you go angel. I can easily hold you and my own coronet and this way you get a bird's-eye view of everything.: Harry reached down and picked her up.

:Thanks Daddy this is a far much better view. Momma, I'll be quiet as a mouse and I promise that I won't drop my coronet.: Dani wasn't one to admit weakness or that she was scared and wary of attending events like these where the crowds were ginormous. Most of the time she could easily shut all the mental static out of her mind preventing her head from hurting, but she still wasn't back to one hundred percent yet and that fact annoyed her. She didn't wish to ruin anything for anyone and had been willingly enduring an on and off again migraine all weekend. She took advantage of the fact that her father had taken on the habit of holding her during royal functions that way she didn't have to give away any signs that she wasn't really feeling very good.

:I know you will baby. Just indulge your father's need to be overprotective.: Hermione kissed her on the top of her head.

:I don't mind Momma. I like it when Daddy holds me.: Dani cuddled against her father's shoulder.

:You're safe and sound sweetie. No one is ever going to steal you away like that again.: Harry growled soothingly knowing that she was nervous to the point that she was trembling but, not enough for anyone to notice unless the person was holding her.

:I know Daddy. Besides that was just a fluke, and I learned to pay closer attention to my dreams and to my surroundings.: Dani looked over at her sisters who were also getting a higher view in the arms of their Great-Grandpa's. Ally and Mia knew that she was hiding something and shot her searching looks. **(I'm fine stop worrying.)**

**(You are anything but fine and just playing like you are. It's stuffy in her yet you're trembling and wide-eyed as if the boogey-man himself were upon you.)** Ally wasn't buying her act.

**(There's nothing to worry about. This Abbey is as secure as Hogwarts is on lockdown, so no one is going to by-pass the security measures like last time.)** Mia decided that reassuring her was a far better way of calming their sister's fears.

**(I'm just feeling really boxed in is all, even Hogwarts has been breached during lockdown, and the Olympic park dedication was also supposed to be ultrasecure it was far from it. Look, I'm okay with all of this. I'm just more than ready to go home and get back to a normal routine faraway from the glaring eyes of the media and royal watchers.)** Dani returned her attention to the coronation.

Her Aunt and Uncle were sitting in The Chairs of Estate. The Garter Principal King of Arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord High Constable and the Earl Marshal go to the east, south, west and north of the Abbey. The Archbishop was calling for each of the four to recognize the King and Queen from each side of the abbey and they then called upon everyone from each side to acclaim them as well.

**(We get to go with the rest of the family to Universal Studio's Orlando Tuesday till Friday. While you get to stay home with mummy, daddy, and our brothers, because your grounded. Yet here you say to us, who know you better than that, you can't wait to go back to being on restriction?)** Ally shot that bit into play.

Wills and Rory were now taking their Oaths. Many of the changes in the oath were causing surprising gasps and whispers throughout the abbey. Not only that but that Rory was taking them as well. It was now abundantly clear to the world that Wills and Rory were taking this job on as a team an equal partnership reining side by side. Not with one always one step behind the other as was tradition and expected of Rory to only be Queen consort. The vow to place family above all else had also gobsmacked everyone. Except for the family, members of parliament, and Prime Minister who were all aware of the changes to the traditional vows. The details of the weeklong super secret late July closed sessions of parliament was all becoming crystal clear. They had been meeting with the heirs to iron out some last minute much needed changes before their August 22 coronation.

**(We live in the real deal. I mean why would I even give a whit about attending the special grand unveiling of their amusement parks take on it. If you ask me Harry Potter's Wizarding World of Wonders is a bit cliché. Besides, that I've had my fill of crowded places, as it is it'll take at least a week for me to recuperate from all the mental static from this one. Now shush the interesting part is starting and all of this verbal sparing with me is giving me a migraine.)** Dani growled back at Ally.

They had moved on to the anointing and crowning part of the ceremony. Wills and Rory had removed their crimson robes of state and the two of them were each putting on the anointing gowns. Before proceeding to what was yet another change to the ceremony. Not only was there St. Edwards Chair for Wills to sit on, but the never before seen King Arthur chair for Rory. The canopies were held above both their thrones. The archbishop then proceeded with anointing the two of them with the sacred oil before the blessing was preformed.

**(Dani you're supposed to be practicing shutting them all out of your mind and you're still recovering from what happened in July.)** Mia forced herself to concentrate on the coronation, even though what her sister had just admitted had her deeply concerned.

Wills and Rory had devised a way for this ceremony to go on by using some of the Pendragon crowned jewels. In this case the stone of fate was fitted in her chair, spurs, Excalibur for Rory's sword of the State, the Orb, the original scepter of the dove and scepter of the cross. And they had commissioned another crown similar to the one Wills would wear titled the Victoria Crown in honor of Queen Victoria. So the ceremony was proceeding without pause and the elder members of the muggle side of the peerage were all but drooling at the sight of the original crowned jewels.

The two of them were once again robed, this time with the robes royal and stole robes. Then it was the presentation of both sets of crowned jewels. That being the orbs the two of them each held in their hand. The scepters of the dove and cross and then finally Wills was crowned with St. Edwards Crown. Rory was then crowned with the newly commissioned Queen Victoria crown.

Shouts of 'God save the King and the Queen!' Rang out from the peerage and they all placed their coronets on their heads. This was then followed by the echo of cannon fire from the Tower of London and then the Peerage paying homage to the new King and Queen. Then soon after the two of them advanced to St. Edward's Chapel for the conclusion of the ceremony and the last costume change.

--

Hermione chose that moment to turn and focus on her daughter. She felt Dani's forehead which was to her expert touch warm. :Have you been feeling miserable all weekend and putting up a happy façade for the rest of us?: She took her measure it was evident that all of this was finally taking its toll on Dani's still very fragile psyche. :Harry she's been hiding this from us all this time so not to ruin this weekend for any of us.:

:Not to worry Mione. I'm well ahead of you and just finished putting up stronger shields in her mind, so should ease some of her symptoms.: Harry cuddled Dani against his shoulder. :Close your eyes and nap for a while angel and we'll get you out of here in a little bit then back to the palace.:

"I'm sorry…" Dani whimpered miserably. "I just didn't want to ruin this for any of you. I really wasn't feeling this awful until on our way here to the Abbey."

Wills and Rory made their official appearances as King and Queen wearing the Imperial Robes. Wills wearing the Imperial State Crown and Rory in the equally stunning newly commissioned Heart of Britannia while the national anthem played.

Wills glanced over at the family. :Tigress something is up with the munchkin.:

Rory also noticed that Dani was cuddled protectively against Harry's shoulder and that Hermione looked worried. :I was afraid of something like this happening. Poor baby wasn't ready for all of this yet and her head is probably pounding.: Rory longed to go check for herself, but they were getting congratulated by various dignitaries and members of the church.

:There's only one way to find out.: Wills lead the two of them over to the Royal pews stopping directly in front of Harry and Hermione. "What's wrong with the little shadow?" Wills wasn't the least bit concerned with royal protocol and focused on his niece.

"She's got a fever and a bit of a nasty headache, but she'll be fine. She wasn't really up to all of this yet and has played brave little soldier all weekend." Harry answered softly thinking that she was nearly asleep.

"She didn't want to ruin anyone's weekend." Hermione sighed.

"She's more important to us than all of this." Wills, as Henry and Dromi had joined them, handed the scepter and orb to his brother so he could comfort his beyond miserable niece. "Come here Little Bit." He held out his arms to his niece.

Dani lifted her head from her fathers shoulder to look at him with miserable teary amber eyes still bright with fever. "I'm sorry…I'm ruining everything…" She sniffled at her Uncle and Aunt tears streaming down her cheeks. "You…don't have to…"

Wills took her out of her father's arms and cuddled her close. "They can all wait. You Little Bit are far more important to us than any crown. Besides, I'm King and can bend the rules if I wish to. It's one of the perks to being King." He brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb then reached up to feel her very warm forehead. "It's bedtime for you angel."

Rory was only too happy to let Dromi hold her scepter and orb, so she could focus on Dani. "Your fever is spiking. Does your head hurt sweetie?" Rory asked softly.

"It's no wonder with all of this about." Dromi frowned.

"It's okay sweetie." Henry soothed.

"Sorry…" Dani whimpered.

"Oh baby, you don't need to be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong." Rory kissed her on the nose. "We have some official snaps to take and finish up things here then we'll check on you when we get back to the palace."

"See no one is cross with you now dry those tears and we'll see you in a little while." Wills kissed her forehead and was rewarded with a weak hug from his niece. "Love you too now back to your Daddy, who is to take you to the palace and tuck you into bed."

Harry was once again cuddling her against his shoulder and this time she let herself drift off to sleep. "She was verbally sparing with her sisters using their link during most of the ceremony that's most likely when she overdid it."

"We'll sort all of that out after we get her tucked into bed." Hermione scanned the Abbey for a place to discreetly port out of the Abbey, but that was nearly impossible at the moment. "Drat this is going to be a problem there are too many people."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't think that she can really handle the route back to the palace." Harry looked down at his daughters who were staring up at their sister with worried amber eyes. "She'll be fine girls. She's just a bit under the weather."

"Yes Daddy we know all about that, so you can focus on Dani we'll be fine here with the rest of the family watching over us." Ally and Mia frowned.

"Look ladies I'm trying to get her out of here, but there are far too many eyes not to mention the CCTV cameras around every nook and cranny for me to make a fast exit." Harry reined in his frustration the Muggle World was like being in a cage.

"I've had Kings and Dag working on it since Dani wanted to be held during the ceremony. They've got the Bentley set and ready. Miles, after seeing something was amiss, decided to see to getting you there himself." James ignored everything around him and focused on the three of them.

"I had to reassure the little ones that Dani was just getting a case of the sniffles." Lily joined them.

"Poor darling has overdone it." Violet sighed. "I was afraid this might happen, but she was doing so good all weekend."

"It's no wonder with all the conflicting emotions, blaring music, and brilliant colors. This was bound to trigger some sort of relapse." Anna brushed her hand over Dani's hair. "Her medicine and a nice long afternoon slumber should help her immensely."

"I knew it, just like I told the two of you, she wasn't anywhere near ready for anything of this scale yet." Lucy wasn't about to just sit with Oliver and let them handle taking care of Dani after all she was her Primary Care Healer and the little sweetie needed her. "Chatting here isn't going to help Dani any. I've got my bag with me, so I'll see to her on our ride back to the Palace."

"Lucy I'm more than…" Hermione started to protest.

"You are her Mum, but I'm her Doctor. I adore this little one, but unlike you I can diagnose her without letting any frazzled emotions get in the way. Now we need to get some medicine in her and then get her tucked into bed. I knew that she wasn't quite up to this yet, so I made sure that I kept my bag with me. So far she doesn't seem to be suffering to the same extent as last July, but I want to get some medicine in her just in case it worsens, and her nose begins to bleed again." Lucy reached up and touched her face easily taking her measure, so far Dani was just suffering from a miserable headache and upset stomach.

"Well that's all that I needed to hear. We'll see you back at the palace." Harry had heard more than enough.

"I wasn't thinking that…I mean I should have known that she wasn't up to this yet…" Hermione bit down on her lip.

"Follow me your chariot awaits." Miles came to personally escort them back to the palace.

"I'll make sure that no one gets in your way." Logan growled taking right flank.

"I'd like to see them try," Draco in full protector mode took up left flank.

"The four of us can easily safely escort the four of you to the car and then keep the press and onlookers at bay." Kane took up the rear.

"Thanks mates the sooner we get Dani out of here the better I'll feel." Harry, seeing that the cameras were now focused on them, covered her from view with his cape as they were escorted out of the Abbey and out of a secure side exit.

"We've got the route clear to one of two locations the Palace or to Hospital if need be." Miles was one that was always prepared for any situation.

"Poor baby still hasn't recovered from what happened to her in July." Logan was getting an idea about what was up with Dani.

"Gin was afraid of that, but she hasn't shown any signs all weekend." Draco frowned.

"It takes time to heal." Kane arched a brow at Harry.

"Aw poor baby her little head must be coming off. I had to teach myself how to block out all the static and noise…half the time I thought it would never ebb and I suffered through many the migraine because of it, so I know what she's going through." Miles led them down the secured walkway away from the abbey towards the Bentley.

"I knew it! You're very gifted with the abilities of the mind, it's no wonder that you're able to keep one step ahead of them." Hermione had always suspected it and now she knew that she was right.

"Unreal is she never wrong?" Logan and Draco shook their heads in disbelief.

"She's rarely wrong, as you two both very well know, and that's why I have stopped doubting any of her intuitive guesses." Kane smirked.

"It's rare and does sometimes happen, but she's usually always spot on with her theories." Harry shrugged as they stopped beside the Bentley.

"It's one of my most guarded secrets, but yeah that sums it up." Miles opened the passenger door.

"We'll handle things here." Logan reassured the two of them.

"Yeah, you just get the munchkin tucked in bed." Draco nodded.

"We shall make sure all is well." Kane was already surveying the area for any problems.

"Thanks, we'll ring you as soon as we get Dani settled at the Palace." Harry waited for Lucy and Hermione to get in and then got in himself.

"I'll tell the others." Draco shut the door.

"Tell Nanda and my parents that I'm seeing them safe to the Palace and I'll see her when she gets back to the Palace." Miles opened the front passenger door and got in.

"Off you go then…We'll see you in a bit." Logan shut his door and they were off.

--

"To Buckingham Palace our little Princess Dani is feeling a bit under the weather." Miles told the driver who nodded, he then signaled their escort in front then they were off.

"Why can't they just focus on the coronation that's more than enough news for their quota?" Harry glanced up through the sunroof and spotted a helicopter.

"Our Dani just became headlines. Once they scent blood it's an all-out chase for the prize." Hermione loathed the press, but was highly impressed with the soundproof qualities of the Bentley. "Now let Lucy tend to Dani."

"Sorry about that…" Harry uncovered Dani, but she wasn't about to budge from his arms. "Is this okay for now she just wants to be cuddled?"

"That's fine." Lucy was searching through her Healers Bag for her diagnosing crystals.

"Well they're not the only ones, have a gander out the windows. The onlookers are just as concerned about our little wonder as the rest of us." The car had to halt because of the plushies the well-wishers were throwing at them that had begun to gather on the hood, roof, and back of the car. "This Bentley is soundproof as well as secure all thanks to our friends at Torchwood. Conjure some earmuffs for her and then I'll get out and deal with the plushie onslaught."

"I owe Jack an apology Torchwood really isn't just taking advantage of other civilizations technology. This car is brilliant." Hermione watched the crystals as they reacted to whatever was ailing her daughter. "As for the other it's a lovely gesture on their parts to try to cheer up our baby girl."

"Muggle's can be such sweethearts just look at all of those plushies and all for our Dani's benefit." Lucy put away her tools. She now had a clear picture how to treat Dani's relapse and fished out the potion vials that she needed to treat her from her bag.

It was then the driver of the Bentley turned to flash them an all too familiar killer grin. "Go ahead and open the door Miles. You see unless I press a button on the steering wheel this place is still soundproof not only that, but all telepathic static that could bother the munchkin is blocked as well. You'll also find that the trunk can more than handle all those plush being tossed at the car. So just toss them all in there and we'll be off again."

"See what did I tell you. Jack here and his team are brilliant." Miles got out of the Bentley to help gather the plush.

"Jack are you Fred and George's secret muggle account? I mean this has their stamp all over it." Harry arched a brow at Jack.

"Fred and George and I share a lucrative partnership beneficial to both of our worlds." Jack didn't deny it. "We've collaborated on several projects, one of which is the latest body armor for our peacekeepers. Let's just say that Gwen tends to be a walking target, so this takes a load off the stress when we're out on a mission."

"Those two are just trying to make up for all the mischief that they got into as kids." Hermione smirked.

"Or set a good example for the little ones." Lucy measured out a dose of medicine for Dani to take. "Let's get this first dose in her so we can get her temperature back down to normal."

Dani reluctantly opened her eyes to look up at her father. "I'm so miserable that I'll willingly take that, but I don't think it's gonna stay down my tummy is feeling really yucky. I'm tapped out too and can't change myself into my comfy pj's."

"Is that better angel?" Harry easily used the glamour on Dani to get her into her comfy pajamas.

"That's okay sweetie, it has peppermint in it, so that should soothe your tummy." Lucy fed her the dose of potion.

"We're nearly to the Palace, but we had to stop to collect your get well plush that we're being tossed onto the car and street."

"Yes Daddy, that's loads better. Mummy did you say plushies for me?" Dani whimpered miserably.

"You little miss have quite the fan base, a factor that we'll have to keep a closer eye on after this. My god just imagine what they'll be like when she's a teenager." Jack arched a brow at Harry.

"Drop the subject Captain or I'll have to hurt you." Harry growled, as he bundled her back up in her cape, and settled her back against his shoulder.

"Oh Daddy, by then I'll be more than capable of protecting myself…" Dani yawned sleepily burrowing her face against the soft velvet of her father's cape.

"All set let's get the little one back to the Palace." Miles got back into car. "I don't think this is even a taste of it yet. I fully expect them to be leaving get well gifts at the Palace gates, because they think you've been hiding the fact that Dani has some sort of frail condition." Miles handed Hermione a set of Queen Rory and King William bears. I checked them over they're safe and that's just the tip of the iceberg we've loads more in the trunk."

"Well you did rush her out of the abbey, so it's no surprise that they're all jumping to conclusions, and as usual are most likely the wrong ones." Jack pushed a few buttons and the monitors in back of the seats all turned on giving them a clear picture about what the media was chatting about. It wasn't about the main event as much as it was about the rushed departure of the crowned prince and princess of Avalon and their precious baby girl. "This isn't surprising they never get anything right and always blow things completely out of context."

"I'm not prone to seizures, a tumor is a bit much, and I so do not suffer from anything as result of my kidnapping." Dani grumbled sleepily.

"How could Ronald say something so tactless like that?" Hermione was very displeased with Ron's impromptu press briefing.

"He was only going by what he knew that being she was spiking a temper and suffering from a severe headache so nothing he said was false. It's just like the media machine to take that and run with nothing but hearsay." Harry muttered darkly.

"A headache does not mean that she's got some tragic muggle illness." Lucy scowled.

"Look at it this way…" Jack took a page out of his Great-Grandfathers book and analyzed the situation as he saw it.

"Squirt there is getting over something that caused her to be pretty sick and while it's not a muggle illness her severe backlash only a few weeks ago does rank high on the wizarding aliments side of the coin. The squirt puts up a very convincing front around all of you at official events such as these. Truth be told the reason she tends to get stressed or lets down her mental defenses is that she's not all that sure that it's safe, and crowds like these spook her."

"So what you're saying Jack is that Dani is suffering from a sort of stress disorder, because of what happened to her in July?" Harry and Hermione looked at each other and then down at their daughter.

"Oh lovely, Uncle Jack, now they've hit the panic button and are thinking oh crikey my kid needs therapy how could I have been so blind." Dani opened her eyes to glare at the back of Jack's seat.

"You seemed to bounce back so well…never once did you have any nightmares or anything like that." Hermione took her from Harry so she could cuddle her protectively in her arms.

"Like father like daughter…" She sighed in frustration. "Look I seriously doubt that 'The Chosen One' or 'The Smartest Witch of the Century' saw a shrink and you two did all right." Dani closed her eyes willing her throbbing head to stop hurting. "So what if I don't like ginormous crowds of people all around me. It's not like I wanna hide in my room and never venture outside again. Can we please drop this? My head can't take very much more of this analyze Dani rubbish."

"Easy baby, we're just worried." Harry put the conjured earmuffs on her. "There you go princess it's back to dreamland for you and this way we can still chat without disturbing your slumber."

Hermione kissed the top of her head. "Let's see if I can make you feel a little better." She cleared her mind and focused on mending what she could that being ease her aching head, but she was powerless to do anything about her child's tapped out magic or mental gifts. To her relief it was enough to settle Dani off to a healing sleep.

Harry had never been so pleased to see the gates of the Palace open in his life. "Finally we can get her properly settled in bed." He sighed in relief. :Mum, both Grams, First-grams, and you are the only ones that she'll trust to soothe her that way.:

:That's not true. She let's you and Dad soothe her, as well as allow you to put up those necessary barriers in her mind.: Hermione breathed a sigh of relief now that her fever was nearly over. They had pulled up to the private entrance to the palace where Gene and Jenna were waiting for them.

Gene opened the passenger door. "I've prepared a cool tub for her in case it's needed and our guys are looking after your little guys."

"We saw it all on the telly. Is she feeling better?" Liam and Julie snuck around their mother to peak into the car.

"Now what did I tell you two about waiting in the family wing?" Jenna growled down at her twins.

"But mum we're just worried about Dani." The twins whined.

"She's sleeping guys and yes her fever is startling to cool." Hermione smiled at the two intuitive youngsters. "I'm sorry that you missed taking part today, but then I know that Aunt Gene and Aunt Jen weren't really up for it."

"We're not. We got ta watch it on the big telly…" Liam grinned.

"And got ta munch on snacks and loads of goodies." Julie skipped along beside him sending her riot of raven curls bouncing.

"You got snacks did you, well then you got the better end of the deal little mate." Miles ruffled Liam's cap of curls warmly.

Julie stared up at Luce with big violet eyes and worriedly bit down on her lower lip. "Dani's not dying like they say is she…a tumor sounds really bad."

"Or that stress thing sounds even worse." Liam nodded.

"I'll talk to them while you get her settled." Harry reached down and scooped his cousins up into his arms while his Aunts, Lucy, and Hermione entered the family wing. "No you two she doesn't have a tumor, but she does get really stressed around large crowds. She's also still recovering from her ailment that she suffered in July and wasn't completely up to this yet."

"She's gonna be grouchy again isn't she." Nate was patiently waiting for them in the doorway.

"Oh cripes, not that again…" Liam and Julie groaned.

"Guys I need a huge favor. Can you help me out?" Miles thought of the perfect way to keep them amused.

"We've got a trunk loaded full of plush toys and no one to get them out." Jack arched a brow at them.

"Oh yeah, that's right. I completely forgot about Dani's get well loot." Harry set the two of them down on their feet. "As for her being grouchy well that all depends…you see we're not entirely certain how much of a setback her humoring all of us has caused her."

"Bed rest again that's gonna make her miss Disneyworld and Universal Studios Orlando and she'll drive you mental if Ally, and Mia get to go and she doesn't." Liam felt bad for his cousins.

"She's already missed most of the family stuff all summer." Julie frowned.

"Not really she did get ta go for that ride in Uncle Doc's big blue box." Nate countered.

"It got her grounded for a year and home schooled until we're like eleven, so no Nate that can't count, and besides it's not a family outing with all of us kids." Julie wrinkled her nose at him.

"Jules the school part don't count, cuz she's way further along than any of us are." Liam growled.

"Yeah Jules, they have to home school her, so she keeps out of mischief, and no one gets into more trouble than Dani." Nate smirked.

"Let's go you three and then afterwards we'll go sneak into the kitchens and get us all some ice-cream." Jack led them out of the wing and back to the car.

--

"They were jesting about her taking a joyride in Uncle Doc's pride and joy right?" Miles grinned at Harry who wasn't grinning back.

"No, but they left out the part about Dani and Hermione switching bodies that day, which only added to the situation of her trip to her future."

"No way, as in that Yank film 'Freaky Friday'?" Miles gaped at him in disbelief.

"Oh yeah, we're talking from dawn August first to midnight August second and all thanks to my nine-year-old cousins harmless wish for Hermione and Dani to mend fences with each other. I was already beyond my tolerance threshold, not to mention recuperating from my previous day's victorious battle at the World Cup against Krum's team. So when he decided that Dani needed a visual confidence boost against my explicit order not to go anywhere, well, I went from Merlin-in-Training to the Next Merlin in one hell of a temper meltdown. The Old relic is lucky that I didn't AK his sorry arse until he was forced to regenerate. Luckily for him that Rose and Romana were watching or I would have." Harry muttered darkly, as they entered his and Hermione's private apartments.

"That's Uncle Doc always trying to mend something or someone. So did it do any good or backfire on you?" Miles asked as he turned his attention on the Telly which was showing coverage of the coronation.

"No actually it's done wonders for her and gave her a new attitude on life, so that's why Uncle Doc is still breathing. Although, Romy did sentence him to temporary retirement some one hundred years because he skipped his first one." Harry left him to mull over that and went to look in on his sons.

"Good lord, tell me he didn't order that, it's no wonder that they're all frantic. Dag called for the paramedics and ambulance to be on standby outside the Palace." He fell back against the sofa and groaned.

"The boys are snoozing in the arms of my Uncles, who are also taking an afternoon snooze in the rockers, so the two of them are all set. Dani's in good hands, so I'll look in on her in a bit…" Harry walked back into the Common Room. "What's wrong now?" Harry frowned at Miles.

"Oh nothing, just Dag and his maddening habit of being excessively paranoid about everything, since her kidnapping incident on his watch, has gone and done it again." Miles muttered darkly.

"What did he go and do now? Order a medivac or ambulance on standby near the Palace?" Harry scowled at the Telly where the news chopper was keeping a close watch on the ambulance stationed near the Palace. "My god she's got a headache and a fever and they called in the bloomin medical brigade, as if she's gonna have an attack or something!"

"He's still in charge until I officially come off my family leave, but I'll get a handle on it and fix this mess. Son of a bitch, now they've got an expert neurologist on talking about seizures and how delicate one who has a mind as sharp as Dani's is. This is just getting dicer by the minute." Miles took out his mobile and hit a button on it that would get him in instant contact with control.

"Fix it while I call my Dad." Harry had his own mobile out and hit speed dial. "Dad...Yeah, we just got in. She's tucked in. Her fever broke a little while ago, so her medicine is doing the trick…Hermione, Aunt Gene, Aunt Jenna, and Luce are with her…No absolutely not! No muggle doctors she's fine…I don't give a rats ass about their wishes. There are three doctors already tending to her needs."

Miles was calling off the medical emergency or trying to anyway. "What do you mean by whose authority? Mine you idiot! I'm here with his Royal Highness Prince Jamie and her Royal Highness Princess Hermione in their apartments in the Palace. Princess Danielle is being seen to by her family physician. No I am not giving out names. You are to sound the all clear and get back to focusing on guarding their Majesties! No! I don't want to wait for you to transfer me to Dag!! Call it off now!"

"Yes Dad. I realize that, but she's stressed out enough as it is. There is no way that I am subjecting her to the royal surgeons. First-Grams would flay them alive, not to mention Mione or Mum." Harry paced in front of the Telly.

"I don't give a damn if I am still on leave, Dag! Sound the bloody all clear or we'll have one hell of an interworld incident if any of the royal surgeons even try to get near Dani!" Miles snarled in frustration. "Be an arse then! I'll get Wills and Rory to make you call them all off!" He ended the call. "Gods that git is such a tight arse about protocol!" Miles stalked out of the apartments to deal with the situation from his office.

"Bloody hell!! They're planning candlelight vigils, Dad! This is beyond the media bungling things up, it's gonna upset Ally and Mia to hear let alone see all of this! Why? Because Dani is completely tapped out of her gifts and can't reassure them, using their link, that it's all hype!" Harry was nearing his last shred of patience with the press and their monstrous media machine.

"Harry James Merlin, our daughter and two-month-old sons are trying to sleep! Go snarl at Dad in the library! Just what has your temper past boiling anyway?" Hermione stalked the rest of the way into the Common Room.

"Dad, I've gotta go…" Harry hung up on his dad, so that he could focus on his wife. "That Hermione Anne Diana is what has me in a temper. How about the ambulance, medivac, and news choppers flying about? Then there's an army of royal surgeons just dying to put our baby girl through gods knows what kind of tests! The media are running with a fabrication of a story. That they're basing on the fact that the cameras at the abbey zoomed in on Dani's face, catching the tiny detail that she had appeared to have a bloody nose."

"She did have a tiny bit of a nosebleed, but nothing nearly as severe as her last one. She's weak as a kitten and is going to be resting all week like last time. Other than her being grouchy like her father when he's under the weather she's fine." Hermione walked up to Harry and reached up to place her hand against his cheek. "She's ours, so no worries okay."

Harry pulled her into his arms and sighed. "I've not a doubt in the universe that our kitten is going to be perfectly fine. How could she not under the wonderful care of her Mum, Great-Aunt, and Luce. It's just unnerving listening to them going on and on about wonder children walking mental tightropes, seizures, and the candlelight vigils just pushed me over the edge."

"She's fine, Wolfe. She's just mentally worn out because of all the excitement and off the charts mental energy this weekend. It's only natural for her to be weary around crowds and we'll help her through that together as well as work with her to strengthen her mental barriers." Hermione pulled back from him just enough, so she was looking up into his troubled emerald eyes.

"How do you suggest we deal with the media, pretend that they don't exist?" Harry turned her, so she was facing the telly. The family was arriving and to his relief the ambulance, medivac, and news choppers were all being sent on their merry way. "Finally someone listened to Miles."

"Not just that, Wolfe, listen the press is eating crow for not verifying their facts and jumping the gun. Wills personally set them straight by having…well that's news Ms. Nanda Lewis the new head of Clarence House send out this statement on Dani's condition. She's reporting that Dani's been a trooper all weekend fighting off an ear and sinus infection that finally won out in the end. That us being caring parents immediately whisked her back to the palace, with our family wellness physician, Lucille Allysia Bell-Wood a specialist in holistic medicine, where she was given her medicine and then tucked into bed. She goes on to add the two of us are happy to report that her fever has broken and the medicine is working its magic. We are touched and moved by the peoples loving concern for our daughter and wish them all a happy coronation day." Hermione read the important parts of the press release that was being shone on the screen and smiled. "Big brother to the rescue that and he solved the Miles and Nanda getting to see each other situation too."

"Rory must have honed in on my frustration and relayed that to Wills and the other, well, that's just brilliant." Harry kissed the top of her head.

"Crisis averted, now let's go look in on the boys." Hermione sighed.

"Uncle Remus and Sirius are sitting in the rockers napping with them in their arms. Although, odds are that they got them settled back in their cribs and then left to hide out in the billiards room." Harry led the two of them down the short hallway and quietly opened the door to the nursery. "Yeah, they went into hiding, but our boys are still snoozing the afternoon away." He whispered, as he called the baby monitor receiver to his hand, and then left them to their snooze.

"Better safe than sorry when you're in a temper…Our Aunts and Luce silently crept out during your chat with Dad, so odds are our Uncles did the same." Hermione yawned, as Harry settled the two of them on the Common Room couch. "Can we skip all of it and go home. I have had my fill of the royal spotlight and the muggle world for that matter for a while." She turned in his arms and snuggled her face against his shoulder.

"I hear you angel mine, but since the Muggle's are already on high alert it might be best for us to leave in the morning as planned." Harry laid his head back against the plush cushions of the couch and closed his eyes.

"You're right lion, besides Dani's tucked in and we don't know if she'll wake up with an upset tummy or not." Hermione reached up to touch his forehead. :My poor lion has a headache, well no matter I'll soothe it away.: She turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

:You my lioness are all the medicine I'll ever need.: Harry kissed her back.

--

Chapter 22

Armistice

--

I do not claim any of Jo's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


	22. Armistice

**HP New Marauders**

Chapter 22

Armistice

--

"We're gonna need another room just for all of your get better gifts." Ally snuck into their room with a slice of Dani's favorite treat double fudge brownie cheesecake and some lemon lime soda in case her tummy was still icky.

"There are flowers, balloons, dolls, plushies, and stuff. It's really very impressive." Mia was cuddling a cuddly stuffed bear in her arms.

"You're getting cards, there are loads of emails so much so it's crashing Clarence House's servers, and you've got the world wishing you to get better soon." Daphne sat down on Mia's bed.

"So do they still think that I'm dying or is that all fixed now?" Dani felt terrible and the sight of the treat that Ally had set on her nightstand had her stomach doing flips, so she closed her eyes willing it to calm down.

"Dani do you need Mummy and Daddy?" Ally asked concerned for her sister, who looked like she was gonna be sick any second now.

"No offense or anything, Ally, but food isn't possible right now…" Dani crawled out of bed and stumbled towards their bathroom.

"Sorry…" Ally helped her to the bathroom. "Mia go get Mummy and Daddy. Daph, would you please take the cake out of here and maybe go get her some crackers instead."

"Sure be right back," The girls scrambled out the door.

"I feel terrible…" Dani moaned, as she got sick again.

"Next time don't be all brave and confide in Mummy and Daddy." Ally got her a glass of water, but not even that was staying down.

"Ally, I was fine until we were on our way to the Abbey." Dani croaked out in a drained voice.

"You forget that I share in your misery, so I know when your head started to pound." Ally bathed her sister's face with a cool cloth, just like she'd seen her parent's do when any of them were sick. "It wasn't being nice to you yesterday either."

"The occasional twinge I can handle…" Dani tried drinking water again, but it wasn't to be.

"Well, it looks like our Ally wants to be a Healer like her Mum." Harry stood beside Hermione in the doorway.

"Daddy, I'm barely five. I'll decide that when I'm older." Ally rolled her eyes at her father. "Besides, someone has to keep baby sis in one-piece and since I share in her misery at times am just the one to do it."

"Hey...I'm ten minutes older than you and fifteen minutes older than Mia." Dani grumbled.

"Yes well, no one is putting any pressure on you to decide and it's nice to know that you worry about your sister." Harry walked into the bathroom and scooped Ally up into his arms for a cuddle.

"Does anything else hurt baby?" Hermione sat down on the cool mosaic tile floor beside her beyond miserable daughter.

"I feel yucky and all weak again." Dani laid her head on her mothers lap. "But Ally helped me get to the loo before I got sick and then took charge of everything."

"Yes, I see that and I'm very proud of her for taking care of you." Hermione gently smoothed Dani's hair with her hand and smiled up at Ally. "Now let's see if we can get some medicine in you to soothe your tummy and make you feel a little better."

"What's the use it won't stay down…" Dani sniffled miserably.

Harry set Ally down, so he could gather Dani's medicine. "We're you thinking this was gonna happen?" He sat down beside Hermione.

"I was hoping that it wouldn't, but prepared for it just in case it did." Hermione fed Dani the first dose of potion. This particular one was to soothe her baby girl's tummy.

"I'm broken now aren't I?" Dani pouted, as she took her second medicine that also was staying down.

"I'll go see about those crackers…" Ally left the three of them alone.

"No you're barely five and have years to go before you can easily recover from a backlash without relapsing." Harry fed her a dose of the third potion.

"You need to tell us at the first sign of you feeling miserable again okay." Hermione brushed away a tear that had fallen down Dani's cheek.

"This weekend was so uber important…"

"Nothing and no one is more important than our kids." Harry sent the medicine back to the taller out of reach of little hands shelf. "You come first always." He kissed the top of her head.

"You are our priority above everything else. You and your siblings mean more to us than anything in the universe." Hermione cuddled her close.

"I'm sorry if I caused them all to worry…" Dani was near tears again.

"You did nothing wrong, now let's get you tucked back under the covers." Hermione crooned softly against her hair, as she carried Dani back to bed.

"If anything this gave us the excuse we needed to nix the Coronation Ball. None of us are really up for all of that again and our guest's are all taking their leave, so only family will be left here in the Palace." Wills was cuddling Rory on Ally's bed. The two of them were out of their royal regalia and wearing comfortable clothes.

"Everyone understands that we're forgoing the family balcony photo op and will just have to make-do with our official coronation snaps." Rory was in desperate need of a nap.

"Dromi had a little bit of a fainting spell after you left, but no one but Mum really saw it." Henry was holding Dromi on Mia's bed. They were also wearing comfy clothes.

"We're pregnant and this was a fairly stressful weekend. My little fainting spell signaled the end of a long tedious photo/press session and allowed us to finally come back here to the palace." Dromi winked at Rory.

"I'm content to nap in here with Dani until dinner." Rory yawned sleepily.

"I'm with you sis." Dromi smiled sleepily.

"Uncle Franc must be livid with me, because he worked so hard on this weekend." Dani couldn't believe that none of them were just the tiniest bit grouchy; about all the chaos she'd caused, by not giving into her body's warning, and staying back at the palace. She burst into tears and buried her face in her pillows.

"Sweetie, Franc was already canceling this evening's events even before Harry and Hermione whisked you from the Abbey." Wills crooned seeing Dani so miserable was just tearing his heart out.

"His focus is on the family and the hell with everyone else." Rory smiled.

"He put the media and gossipmongers in their places. It was quite a sight to see." Henry smirked.

"I think we got to see a side of Franc that he rarely let's anyone see." Dromi nodded.

"That's because Uncle Franc is just as fierce a protector as the rest of you…" Dani hiccupped miserably. "He and Uncle Beau both are."

"Yes sweetie, of course they are…" Hermione crooned.

"You'll see. Just don't hurt them, because they really had a good reason…" Dani drifted off to sleep.

"Why in magic's name would we wanna hurt Beau or Franc?" Hermione arched a brow at Harry.

"She's got my curiosity peaked." Wills needed to focus on anything but the crown and this was as good a distraction as any.

"I've just never pictured either of them as fierce protectors more like peacemakers." Henry was intrigued as well.

"Oh, he's got a temper all right, but he rarely let's anyone see it and is beyond protective of those he calls family." Harry frowned.

"We'll watch over Dani, so the four of you are free to go corner Franc." Dromi smiled serenely.

"I'm just happy that he and Frankie have finally called a truce." Rory yawned.

"Um, Mummy…Daddy I've brought her some crackers." Ally stood in the doorway.

"Thank you, angel, just set them on the nightstand for now." Harry smiled at her.

Ally quietly walked over and placed the plate on the nightstand. "Um…Franc and Beau have something big that they wanna say to everyone, but Dani comes first so they said it can wait until we get back home."

"Oh that tears it. Nap well my darling. I'm gonna go see what's going on." Wills got Rory settled on Ally's bed.

"I'm with you big brother." Henry had already gotten Dromi tucked into Mia's bed. "Rest well my enchantress."

"Franc and Beau are family, so no hurting either of them." Rory growled.

"Yes, I'm sure that whatever it is they did was for good reason." Dromi fixed Henry with a look.

"So it wasn't just stress and something was up." Harry frowned.

"That would explain why they're getting looks from various members of the family, none of which are very nice." Hermione nodded.

"Um, Matt thinks that it has something to do with what his mummy can do. Ry and Ty said that their Daddy was grumbling about it to their mum. Same goes for DJ and Daria and their Dad's.  Well, I'm gonna go join the other kids in the playroom." Ally vanished.

"Franc's a Metamorphmagus…if that's true then there's another ancient theory shot to hell. It proves that it has nothing to do with being magical at all…" Hermione was fascinated at this turn of events.

"Two completely separate lives and we never even once caught on…" Harry didn't really know how he felt about all of this.

"There's only one-way to get to the bottom of it and that's leaving us to nap and see to Dani if she needs us, while you hear the two of them out." Rory and Dromi growled in unison.

"You do it all the time to avoid the press. They just perfected a way to separate their work from their own time, so be nice." Dani grumbled in her sleep.

"I think we just got our answer, but it doesn't hurt to hear it from the two of them."

The four of them left them to their rest.

--

Elsewhere in the Palace

"So head of Clearance House is it?" Miles leaned against the doorjamb of Nanda's new office finding that she was hard at work talking on the phone. "Tell ya the truth that one took me by surprise. Did they just ask you or has this been a part of the many changes in the monarchy?"

Nanda glanced up at him, holding up a finger to signal that she would be with him in just a second or two. "Yes Anderson. I will let you known their answer, but even you will most likely have to do with getting your information through my office. Yes well…I love it here across the pond and was more than ready for a change of direction. You'll have the official Coronation photos and the official press release as soon as Cassie Flamel releases them to me." Nanda smiled, as if amused by something her caller had said. "No comment…bye Anderson."

She took her earpiece off her ear and glided over to smile up at Miles. "I wasn't officially boss of Clarence House until tomorrow, but I had to rein in the media storm before it got any more chaotic than it already was. My predecessor has to retire and wasn't about to do anything to ease the situation."

"The old staff was a bunch of tight arse spin doctors, so I can imagine what changing the guard did to their overblown egos." Miles cradled her face between his hands and kissed her. "It will be a pleasure working with you Ms. Lewis and might I say fantastic handling of your first shall we say royal snafu." He growled between kisses.

"Well, I love a good challenge and you Captain handled your… let's see… its third royal incident… now isn't it, brilliantly." Nanda wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Nanda's and Miles mobiles started to ring.

"Ignore it…"

"That's both our phones maybe it's an update on Dani." Nanda reluctantly ended their kiss.

"I know what's up with the munchkin. She's sleeping in bed in her room and Rory and Dromi are catching a nap with her. She's miserable as all get out, but on the mend." Miles glanced down at the text message on his cell. "It's from Franc and he says to bring the confession our lives depend…then he stopped his message."

Nanda was looking at her own text message. "I've got the same message from Beau…Something tells me that their secret has been blown sky-high and the family meeting is today not tomorrow. Since Dani is under the weather they don't have anyone, but Frankie, Desi, and the two of us in their corner." She found the DVD in question with their confession from last night on it easily; she'd labeled it Gideon and Abel.

"Harry's already in a temper. Those two don't stand a chance." Miles sighed in defeat. "And here I was gonna take you out for some you and me get to know each other time."

"I know and we will I promise, but with all that's happened this afternoon let's just stay here and have dinner with everyone. We wouldn't have a moment's peace and I'd rather go out after the coronation chaos has died down a bit. We can always stay in this week at my apartments in Clarance House this week or perhaps your loft above the pub. We're gonna be busier than ever this week with both our new jobs and…" He cut her off with a long kiss.

"We'll set aside lunch and dinner as us time and go from there…" Their mobiles rang again and he fought the urge to smash his against the wall. "But for now we have another family situation to set right."

"They really aren't just saying it…" Nanda stared up at him in wonder.

"You've lost me love saying what?" Miles trailed kissing along her jaw line.

"That you've got the patience of a saint or Job." Nanda sighed laying her forehead against his own.

"Oh that, well, in my line of work not keeping a clear head will get you or the ones under your protection killed. Not to mention that trying to keep Wills and Harry out of danger was enough to try even the most patient Buddhist monk. It's kinda why I got the codename Ice Man, because I've never once cracked under pressure. Although, today when no one was listening to me nearly shot that all to hell..." Miles was about to kiss her again, but this time that was cut short by his mobile's ring tone of God Save the King. "Times up that one is from Wills and it's not like I can just tell the King…best mate or not to go to hell."

"Brilliant thinking choosing that particular ringtone just for his majesty the impatient…" Nanda sighed in defeat. 

 Miles flipped open his mobile and answered the call. "You rang your majesty the destroyer of quality time moments? No. I value my quality time with Nanda. I don't wish to baby-sit the family on their trip to Orlando all week. Yes we have the item in question and will join you at once in the Music room. If you must know, wise arse I was snogging with my own other half. Just a sec…As in hold your arse for a minute. No Wills, you'll just have to wait for a while longer." He focused on Nanda. She'd gone stiff as a board and was trembling in his arms. "Now don't go getting all skittish on me. I meant what I just said, but we have all the time in the world and are gonna take it one step at a time."

"Look this is all new to me. I rarely end up with a Knight in shining armor and never really thought that finding a soul mate and happily ever after was in the cards for me. So I settled, and ended up getting hurt more times than not. Now that it is I'm scared half to death of these feelings." Nanda had a wary look in her eyes. "I'd decided that dating or relationships and me were a not gonna happen. Half the time I'm practically married to my career and I've worked my whole life clawing my way to where I am now. I'd gotten snowed in last December at my parent's place, so I missed meeting you then. I felt a pull or something that startled me when I looked at the wedding photos and the DVD. When I asked about you Wills and Henry were only too eager to tell me all about their best mate from since they were boys and your adventures then and now. I've dated an X-game athlete before that had ended badly and used that as an excuse to avoid you like the plague. I mean if we didn't meet then I wouldn't have to face why just looking at your picture made my heart skip a beat and seeing you in those video emails with Wills and Henry sent it racing. I knew that seeing how you were best mates that odds were that you'd be at Wills Birthday/Freedom from the military bash…"

"I'd just gotten home and my Mum and Dad gave me not so good news about the pub, so all thoughts of partying with my mates or meeting you vanished from my mind. I'd seen you loads of times on the Telly doing those special's on the Royal families, rubbing elbows with the Celeb's. Your team up with Cooper to make sure that people were helped on the West Coast after the big one struck made me jealous as hell and I'd yet to meet you. I had this dartboard in my flat wherever we were, and on it were the gits that you were favoring at the time. Wills and Harry tried to get us together dozens of times, but the fates kept the two of us apart. I wanted to meet you on even terms. I on purposely decide to forgo this weekends celebrations by claiming that I needed more time off to deal with my family crisis." Miles phone hit the plush carpet so he could cuddle her closer to him, and her ear was listening to his own heart. "Hear that Nanda you're not the only one with these unfathomably strong feelings."

"You mean that you were the secret friend that sent and corresponded with me for these last five years." Nanda had never been able to trace the one person in her life that would send her little gifts from all over the world. Flowers and plush animals with silly sayings that made her feel not so blue. The kick boxing dummy and gloves that she had received to take out her fury and hurt over yet another failed relationship. Never once did she ever feel threatened or stalked. She felt cherished and loved knowing that he would never betray her like that.

"Yeah, it was me. Wills and Harry thought that although what I was doing was gallant that you might not think so and that eventually you'd find a way or call in a favor to finally get a trace on me. I told them that was moronic. Not once had I ever done or sent anything to spook you like that. Even you need a shoulder or a confidant to lean on that wasn't gonna do anything, but listen and cheer you up when things got dicey. Hell I guess I was kind of stalking you." Miles waited for her to slap him or something, but she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"It's been tearing at me all weekend that I couldn't be love at first sight at you when I had my secret protector that I'd grown to love. I compared you to any guy I was with and all this time it was you. I lost all train of thought when you stood there in your boxers and Army t-shirt glaring murderously at AC and then I nearly fainted when you turned your full attention on me. I had to really put up an act in front of AC and act as if I didn't know you other than what your call sign was and the bio on you said. I'd finally gotten to meet you and then when I got up the courage to go and talk you were kissing my friend. Nothing in my life compares to the betrayal that I felt at that moment. Then when I overreacted to the whole situation I thought that I'd ruined everything before it had even begun. Then you and I touched and the only thought that I could think of was to flee to the Palace and regroup. You've been courting me from a far for five years running. So, I'd say that's enough of a getting to know you period. I know you from the inside out and you know me. Marry me Miles and finally be my own happily ever after. My forever love. My one and only valentine." She found herself kissed senseless.

--

"So that's gonna mean that the, uh, two of them may, uh, just be a while." Wills cleared his throat ending the call on his mobile.

All of them had been gathered around him eavesdropping on the call including Franc and Beau.

"The ice man and the ice princess of media secretly had an online friendship…courtship for five years and she didn't have a clue." Ron shook his head in disbelief.

"I knew of her admirer, but never once guessed that it was Miles. The only times that I saw Miles he was all business a nice guy, great with the kids, but Mr. Romance not even close he was married to his career." Hermione was just as floored by all of this.

"Well, actually the two of them were both married to their choice of careers, so it was almost impossible for them to meet until now." Ginny was munching on her snack of fresh fruit slices.

"Fate works in the most mysterious of ways." Luna smiled dreamily.

"Miles laid the groundwork, first forming a friendship nurturing that into something that would last forever, and then proceeded with taking the steps to meet Nanda." Harry was beyond impressed.

"It must have been frustrating as hell having the fates throwing obstacles in his path." James knew exactly how that felt.

"Yeah, you would think that wouldn't you, but Miles really does have the patience of a saint." Henry smirked.

"It takes a lot to crack Miles composure. But, it sure as hell was starting to crack when he walked into the Common Room last Christmas and heard Nanda tell Hermione that she wouldn't be able to make it to our weddings. Because she was snowed in at the airport. He spent a few hours pounding on the heavy bag down in the gym swearing at the powers that be to give him a break in about ten different languages." Wills grinned.

"Then he focused all of that frustrated energy in charming the little ones." Lily smiled.

"Yeah, it's fantastic that the two of them finally found each other, but I'm still waiting for those two to fess up to whatever it is they've been hiding from all of us." Draco was happy for his friends, but most of all he wanted the truth.

"Draco it's not threatening if that's what you're trying to imply." Frankie stood protectively in front of Franc narrowing her eyes at him.

"It's really very brilliant and the fact that they've managed to achieve their success in their careers and still manage to keep something of themselves out of the public eye should be applauded." Desi was being just as protective of Beau.

"It's quite understandable that they're upset with Beau and I for keeping a large part of our lives private to even the family. I know how trust is big with most of them and even though our secret isn't threatening to the family in any way, hard feelings are bound to arise." Franc wasn't giving away anything and was his calm, cool, normal self.

"We've had to keep both worlds separate, long before all of us met at the store. We developed what at the time and even today were necessary steps to keep both lives apart from the other." Beau wasn't his usually laid-back smiling self, instead he was serious, and stoic towards all of them.

"I think we arrived just in time. Don't you babe." Miles and Nanda arrived with the previous night's conversation in hand.

"Looks like you were wrong about them eavesdropping on us after you dropped the phone on the carpet." Nanda could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

"No they were. It's just that the mystery of Franc and Beau is a hell of a lot more interesting than my courting you and winning your favor over the last five years without the two of us meeting until yesterday." Miles got the two of them settled on one of the love seats. "Before you hand that over to Franc, give them a hint by telling them all what you titled this particular DVD."

"But then that spoils the whole surprise if they know that I labeled it Gideon and Abel." Nanda pouted up at him trying not to break character.

Certain male family members were muttering choice words under their breaths or saying no way in hell could they be the same guys.

"Harry goes by his middle name in the muggle world. Just as Beau and I go by ours in the Wizarding world. Last time I checked that wasn't breaking any cardinal rule." Franc fingered the DVD case in his hands, deciding that he wasn't in the mood to sit there, and wait for everyone to react to their confession that Nanda had captured last night about their after-hours normal lives. Instead he decided that a game of cards was in order and challenged Frankie, Desi, Beau, Miles, and Nanda to join him for a game of poker in the Billiard Room.

"Brilliant thinking mate that's just what we need after this weekend." Beau grinned.

"I think that it's a smashing idea and the loser has to be the others slave for shall we say a week." Frankie was a seasoned poker and blackjack player and wasn't afraid of the game of chance.

"I'm well aware of your card-shark reputation, but Beau and I are also well schooled in the game." Franc was more than ready to meet her challenge and win.

"We always enjoy a challenge." Desi winked at Beau.

"Now doll, Abel and I have been known to clean out the wallets of our fellow mates at the Magus Bikers Club, as well as our staff at the store. So hell yeah I'm all in." Beau had a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"I'm already Ace's slave, but what the hell I'm game too." Miles grinned.

"Game hell you've cleaned me out of pocket change since we met at Eton." Wills muttered under his breath.

"I've won my share of celebrity poker tournaments and it's something my crew and I play during assignments. I'm in the mood for a game if you are." Nanda also had a wicked gleam in her eyes and grin on her face.

"Yeah, well, now that the six of us are all aces at the game let's leave them to watch the DVD…" Miles grin widened even more and he fixed Franc and Beau with a mischievous look. "Although just to be fair, it would be nice to know just who you just challenged to your little wager. Was it Franc and Beau or Able and Gideon?"

"The two of them are Able and Gideon, so that's not really a factor on the bet…" Frankie eyed Franc thoughtfully. "The two of them are overdue to take long holidays, so from this moment their work selves are no longer necessary. Desi and I are challenging their tougher marauder bad boy personae."

"Oh I agree. They've more than earned the freedom to be their other selves." Desi winked at Beau.

"Bloody hell, woman! It's not like either of us suffer from a bloomin split personality! There's nothing wrong with needing to have some sort of escape from the all seeing public eye!" Gone was Franc's classy accent and high-class refined look. It was replaced by a thick Welsh brogue and class transformed to casual weekend wear of well-worn jeans, a Puddlemere United team jersey, and designer trainers.  His long main of platinum blonde hair flowed freely down his back, and stormy pewter blue-grey eyes narrowed down at Frankie. It was evident by his well-toned physique that he was very athletic in nature. He had an aura around him that radiated power, even more so now that he had his magic bestowed on him, and one wouldn't want to challenge him let alone get in his way.

"This…" He pointed to his hair. "Is why Dora prefers vibrant hair colors and always has. You see her ability to change into whatever appearance she wishes has nothing to do with magic and everything to do with the powers of the mind, well, that and you need a certain genetic marker otherwise that's it. I may not have been born with magic, but I made up for that by being gifted in the powers of the mind. It's another reason why my not being magical didn't really matter to me all that much. My parents never really treated me any differently and for the longest time they thought my mental abilities were flickers of magic trying to come to the surface. It wasn't until I turned eleven and didn't get a letter that they came to the conclusion that I was a squib, but not that it mattered I was brilliant and took to anything muggle like water. I saw it as a challenge and I knew that I would see my friends on holidays and during the summer." He stood there and waited for them to react to what he had just confided to them.

The girls were staring dreamy eyed at him and the guys were taking all of what he had just said in.

"Guess it's my turn, well, here goes." Beau ended his glamour spell and was now standing there in front of everyone very much the marauder and nothing like his brother's pretty boy golden boy looks. Beau's raven black mane was tied at the nape of his neck with a leather thong, sky blue eyes sparkling with mischief, and his killer grin were the same. He was dressed in casual clothes of jeans, black t-shirt, biker boots and his favorite leather jacket. "I'd love to say that I can do what Abel or Dora can, but sorry I've gotta use the glamour spell to keep up my golden boy looks. The clients prefer this over the pirate look, so that's why I fashioned my look this way."

"They're both so dreamy," Ginny and Luna sighed.

"Dreamy yes, but still big brothers to us nothing has changed. Apart from the two of them finally letting down their guards around all of us, and sharing with us their lives so all of us can really spend time with them." Hermione was all smiles not the least bit upset with either of them.

"I can understand why you thought that even after the war was over that you needed to preserve your private lives. I more than get that, but that's over and the two of you will join in with the rest of the family. In our world no more hiding out from everyone." Harry finally spoke his mind about the issue.

"I can't believe that I didn't figure it out in July when Franc more than hinted that all wasn't as it seems between the two of them." Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"You!! I've worked endless hours with both of them for two years running and can't believe that all of that time not once did I ever suspect any of this." Ron growled. "I'm all for what Harry's saying from now on no more charades.

"Boy's! Franc and Beau grew up during a time of intense turmoil and paranoia. You see all of you only got a taste of it towards the end of the war against the dark ones. Franc has been taught to lay low all of his life as a matter of survival. Beau's reasons, well, who could blame him because Gilderoy was his big brother. I wouldn't want to admit that he was my brother either, since he was nothing, but a coward and a fraud." Lily could easily see both sides of the issue.

"Lil's is brilliant as usual, now add Franc being a Black as well as a squib, and it equals being a target at birth." James nodded.

"Those two chose badly when it came to first girlfriends and were damn lucky that Remus and I were able to get them out of there in one-piece." Sirius had been quietly listening from the doorway and finally made his presence known. "It's no wonder why I never really put all the pieces together before now, but then again deep down I guess I saw whatever you two were up to as your business."

Abel arched a brow at his cousin and Beau rolled his eyes.

"All right, fine. I was a little gun-shy about maybe the two of you being life partners and left well enough alone." Sirius raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Then again after what the two of you went through as teens…I mean who could really blame you for wanting to play it safe and avoid women altogether as anything, but casual friends."

"That and we learned never to let Regulus set us up on blind dates again." Abel muttered under his breath.

"Look. I know that what Reg did was a cruel sick joke, but he never intended for his little jest to…"

"Jest my arse! He set Gideon and me up with two girls knowing full well that they were Deatheater wannabe's and we were their entry into the Dark Lord's fold!! We were kept in that basement for a week Sirius!!" Abel's temper snapped, as old wounds long closed opened again.

"I know that Abel and he got word to me as soon as he realized that his attempt to pay the two of you back for beating the tar out of them that following week had gone dicey! You knew what kind of a sore loser he was and that he always paid someone back if they humiliated him. Yet you and Beau lost your tempers with him and Bill, because they were ribbing the two of you about your passion for all things muggle, and called you a pansy for liking to design clothes and stuff! None of us even realized just how much you'd focused on being able to not only stick up for yourself. But that you'd even gone as far as to take and master muggle marital arts classes during your time away in the muggle world at school." Sirius snarled back. "He risked blowing his cover to arrange your rescues and because of that paved the way to his exile."

"OH CRY ME A BLOOMIN RIVER, SIRIUS! CRUCIO AND IMPERIO ARE NOT AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE! BEING A BLOODY VOODOO DOLL BITES WHEN YOU'RE NEARLY SEVENTEEN AND HELPLESS TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU'RE A SQUIB!! IT SCARED ME FOR LIFE!! GOD'S AFTER THAT I COULDN'T WAIT TO GO BACK AND FINISH OFF MY FINAL YEAR AT SCHOOL!" Abel roared that back at him.

"Frickin hell, it's no wonder that Uncle Albus and Dad were so furious with him after you and Reg went rounds with each other. Gods you were beyond cheesed off at him so much so you damn near landed his arse in St. Mungo's. Then he went and snarled at you that yeah his payback had gone dicey, but the two pansy's were eventually gonna be fine after a few days in hospital so back the hell up off his arse. It was beyond ill timed, because Remus wasn't about to let the two of you kill each other, and had returned with dad and Uncle Albus. The two of them set Severus on his arse and the two of you never mended fences until nearly five years ago." James couldn't believe his ears, yeah he'd known that Reg had played a prank on two teens that had gone beyond bad, but never in a million years did he think it was Franc and Beau. Then again it explained why Sirius held such a grudge against his little brother and after that incident had never really trusted him again.

"The way I see it is that he more than paid for his blunder by being exiled, while we got to live successful and happy lives. He more than paid for any misdeeds." Gideon wasn't as bitter as his best mate about the past and holding grudges got one nowhere. He on the other hand understood why it was so hard for Abel to let go of that part of the past. He'd undergone more torture both physically and mentally than he had and at times it still haunted his dreams to this day.

"Yeah, well, you're far more forgiving than I am. You spent a day at hospital! I was there for nearly three weeks!" Abel sneered darkly and stalked passed him out of the room.

"Franc wait!" Frankie chased after him.

:I'll be right back: Harry thought that two family members needed closure, so he was gonna go bring his Uncle back to the palace.

:Lion, I don't think that's a good idea.: Hermione bit down on her lip, but Harry was already gone.

"Tell me that he didn't go get Uncle Reg." Draco hissed at Hermione.

"He would. It's his calling to play family peacemaker and he hasn't had the chance to do that in years not counting keeping Dani and Ally in line." Ron groaned.

"This is just opening wounds that he thought were long ago healed. He got a taste of what Alice and Frank went through, only he's a mental powerhouse, and could shield his mind from any permanent damage. He frustrated the hell out of them by not giving them the satisfaction of seeing him break down. He didn't do that until we were safe in our hospital ward and during his talks with Dumbledore." Gideon sighed in frustration. "He still has nightmares that haunt his dreams even now, but then he did go through hell and back." He and Desi went after Franc.

"Haven't I seen enough of this place for one weekend?" Regulus growled down at his nephew, as they appeared in the room.

"That's not why I dragged you out of your poker game with my big brothers. This has more to do with clearing the air between someone that you caused to suffer physical and mental trauma during your less than noble days." Harry glared directly into his eyes. "You not wanting to go anywhere near Carstairs Department store isn't because you're gun-shy about shopping in general, but because you don't wanna face Franc again let alone Beau and it's gonna stop now."

"He's just afraid that Gideon and Abel are gonna beat the tar out of him again and now that Abel has his magic could seriously put him in traction at hospital." Sirius fixed him with a glare.

"Look. I'm not proud of what I did back then all right. I was forbidden to go anywhere near either of him by Uncle Albus and Uncle Stephen after it happened and was forced to see everything that had happened to him by pensive. It was because of that incident that I focused on reigning in my temper and darker side during my exile." Reg muttered darkly then swore under his breath. "No way! You mean to tell me that made the two of them swear off women for life!? I'm to blame for them turning into what I relentlessly teased them about when they were kids?!"

"Yeah Uncle Regulus, you scared the two of them for life." Ginny narrowed her eyes at him.

"They feared females so badly that they only felt at ease with ones that were already paired off." Luna growled at him.

"This has to stop. It's just not healthy for either of you to carry so much guilt in your case and anger in Franc's towards each other. Especially, now that Franc is shedding all of his barriers and fears enough to finally take a leap of faith with Frankie and the same goes for Beau and Desi. The first tentative steps were taken last night at the reception when they confided a major secret to them. Nanda was there to record it for the rest of us." Hermione closed her eyes and focused on the DVD that Abel was still carrying with him and it appeared in her hands. "Let's watch this first and then afterwards we'll see about clearing the air between the two of you." She loaded up the DVD player and all of them finally got to see what had gone down last night for themselves.

"Now getting decked by someone that seemed very familiar at the pub this winter makes perfect sense. It was Abel venting his pent up fury and frustrations on me. Bill thought that it was because I insulted his favorite football team that they had playing on the telly and then some sloshed git was trying to hit on the barmaid…. Two minutes later him and his bike-mates taught the git and his mates a lesson they'd never forget. It made me thankful that all he did was deck me instead of toss me out a window or down the bar." Regulus could see how much that one incident had changed his cousin for life and it made him feel lower than scum.

"All right what's going on now?" Stephen and Albus appeared in the room.

"I thought as much, so Abel and Gideon finally let down their guard and it's opened old wounds." Albus arched a brow at all of them.

"What's going on now? Why is everyone so loud!? I told you to be nice to Uncle Franc and Beau!" Dani used the last of her nearly tapped out advanced magic to appear in the room in her fathers arms. "This was dumb I feel worse now…" She whimpered.

"Sweetie, we were nice to your Uncle's, it was the past that has him so upset." Hermione conjured a cool cloth for her forehead and something to stem the nosebleed that was triggered by Dani ignoring her body's warnings to stay in bed. "All this did was make you relapse even more."

"Your Great-Uncle Regulus and Uncle Franc have unfinished business do to something that happened to Franc when he was a teenager. This something scared him for life and Uncle Regulus never apologized to Franc, so it's all muddled up between the two of them." Harry sat down on the sofa, so he could stretch out with her in his arms, and hopefully get her to go back to sleep.

"Regulus go make nice with Franc before I seriously hurt you." James was seeing red now that Dani had been woken up and had relapsed even more.

"Stand in line Prongs, he's my kin I get first go at him." Sirius narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"You do and I geld both of you." Lily knew that more turmoil was the last thing Dani needed. "Violence is not the solution nor is threatening Regulus."

"Stop it! My head is gonna come off!" Dani whimpered miserably. "Try to act like grown-ups and not like hotshot schoolboys spoiling for a row. Uncle Franc gave up two years of his time for Uncle Wills, Uncle Henry, Aunt Rory, and Aunt Dromi. He deserves our respect and our compassion. If Uncle Reg mucked something up ages ago then he needs to fix it. End of discussion." She fixed them all with a regal glare then closed her eyes again.

"I would have ages ago, but I'm banned from speaking to him." Regulus grumbled in his defense.

"Oh grow up Uncle Reg. I mean unless you were banned for life that's the coward's way out." Dani opened her eyes to glare over at him. "Grow some and fix it before First-Grams catches wind that I'm worse than I was and has First-Gramps banish you to limbo for a few days."

Regulus stared at her for a few moments before shaking his head in amusement. "I'm sorry princess you're absolutely right I have been acting like a git about this…" He turned around to look over at the open doorway when his cousin's snarl filtered into the room.

"Damn it Francesca! I wish to be left alone! It's bad enough that you followed me outside and then grabbed me by the ear to get me to go back inside!"

"No way Francis Abel no more hiding from the family!" Frankie grabbed hold of a fistful of his long mane and used that as leverage to drag him back into the Music Room.

"Oi! Son of a biscuit, Georgette Francesca, let go of me hair!" He yelped in pain.

"You and Regulus call a truce or I'll do worse than just pull your hair!" Frankie snarled at him.

"Make peace with each other or I have Daddy page First-Grams and Gramps." Dani managed a weak growl.

"Yes, you woke her up. She got upset making her feel even worse, so fix whatever is between you or else." Harry narrowed his eyes at them.

"Enough with the power plays! Let them finally mend what needs healing, so calm will once again come over the palace and my baby girl can get the sleep she needs to heal!" Hermione had finally stemmed her nosebleed and was moments away from jinxing the lot of them.

That was all the signal that certain family members needed to make a hasty retreat.

"We'll go check on the kids and our girls need a nap." Draco, Ginny, Luna, and Ron all vanished.

"Ace and I will go get the game set up." Miles took out his wand pulled Nanda close to him and Apparated with Nanda in his arms.

Henry and Wills had left by a secret passage to go check on their wives.

"It's naptime for you my love." James and Lily vanished.

"Uh, Jenn's waitin for her snack." Sirius also beat a hasty retreat.

--

"Easy Hermione, no need to jinx the tar out of us we'll fix it." Regulus eyed his niece warily.

"I've never been a target of her lethal temper and don't intend to start now." Abel held his hands up in surrender.

"I'd start talking if I were you." Stephen growled.

"Go on Regulus, we lift your restriction in regards to Abel and Beau, so you can clear the air with your cousin and heal the wounds from what happened all those years ago." Albus was as calm and cool as ever.

"They put you under a restriction?" Abel frowned.

"Yeah, I was ordered never to bother either of you again, so I couldn't have apologized if I tried. The Order lost all faith in me…" Regulus raked his fingers through his hair. "Hell I signed my own exile papers, because it wasn't long after that Severus was ordered to execute my arse by Voldemort. Ya have to believe me when I tell ya that I never meant for any of that tripe to go down like that…"

"Go on…" Abel frowned at him.

"God's I had such a chip on my shoulder and an ego to match back then. I set the two of you up with the girls that you both fancied. Only they were both way out of your leagues experience wise. Anyway, what happened was that Voldemort had eyes everywhere and had other ideas, plus he wanted to test my loyalty. I knew something was off when the two girls sent me a howler the next morning that they were furious about their dates not showing up. They'd waited for hours in the rain and I owed them big-time. I checked in with family members and friends, but neither of you had returned home. It took me three days of extensive investigation just to find out where you were being held."

"Three days…" Frankie bit down on her lip at the thought of what Franc had been put through.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Abel gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I used Veritaserum after attending a meeting on Malfoy when he was snickering to Macnair that young Tonks was holding out remarkably well because he was a nothing squib. It was fascinating how he was able to withstand Crucio and Imperio and still not break, whereas young Lockhart had broken on the second day, but it was obvious the coward knew nothing about The Order. It made me see red not to mention I felt guilty as hell. After getting the information that I needed, I jinxed the tar out of Malfoy, and then left to go tell my brother. Sirius was livid and threatened to end my arse if the boys were beyond repair. James was left out of it, because he had Lily and a baby boy on the way. Remus was nearing the full moon, so he was in the mood to tear people in half, and added that threat to the mix. I masked myself to conceal my identity and we got the two of you out of there the following evening. Bella and her bitchy sisters-in-laws got a taste of what Crucio felt like not that it mattered any. Bella the psycho witch was loony and got a rise off any pain, whether it be hers, or anyone else's. He and Remus got the two of you to St. Mungo's leaving me at one of The Order's undisclosed locations where James was to watch me until he got back. He returned an hour or so later and proceeded to beat the life out of me. Remus not wanting to be a part of murder ran to get someone to break us up, because James wasn't about to it seemed to him that I'd earned it. I being the smart arse git that I was back then ran my mouth off at him right when Uncle Albus and Uncle Stephen came to break the two of us up. I caught hell for my foolish actions, lost their respect, Severus was gonna shadow my arse, and I was never to bother either of you again."

"Never to pull another asinine get even scheme again, not never talk to them again." Stephen muttered under his breath.

"I was exiled after that, so I had countless years to master reigning in my darker qualities. Look. I'm sorry that I nearly got the two of you killed. Scared your psyche's for life at least when it came to the dating the ladies, and caused you both to think that you had to keep your distance all these years." Regulus offered his hand in truce.

"Well now that I know the truth and everything that you risked to fix it…Apology accepted." He shook his hand then gray eyes instantly changed to blue-green and Abel morphed back into Franc right before his eyes. "Now for the love of Mab let Beau do something with that hair of yours and me at that sorry excuse for wardrobe!"

"Gods you're so good at this dual identity thing that it's mind-bending." Regulus took a few steps back eyeing him in disbelief.

"He's lethal as Franc. We're all wary of him. Abel's his gentler side." Harry shrugged. "We've all been targets Uncle Reg. It's only fair that get your turn too."

"There's nothing wrong with my wardrobe or me hair." Regulus took another step back.

"It's a shaggy dog's mane in desperate need of taming." Gideon growled from the doorway.

"Now Gideon it's bad, but there's no need to insult an innocent dog." Desi chided.

"Hey, that's low so what if I don't feel like being a muggle fashion plate!" Reg grumbled.

"You look like a scruffy pirate and only dress formally if Dahlia threatens your sorry hide." Franc rolled his eyes at him in disgust.

"Fine, but keep my marauder image or no deal." Reg was cornered and knew when to admit defeat.

"Oh don't worry you big baby, you'll still be able to show your face at the pubs. The two of us our on holiday until Frankie and Desi say otherwise and with that so are our fashion icon identities." He was back to being Abel again. "Sirius, James, Remus, and I can go on the list is long, all survived intact and actually liked the final result."

"Yeah, we plan on crashing at our farm. I say we talk to Dahlia and see what she thinks needs finishing and then form a plan of attack that's not gonna send Reg into hiding. The two of us usually range our looks from casual to marauder, it just depends on our moods." Gideon growled softly because Dani was once again sleeping peacefully in her father's arms.

"I'll see you when you get home." Stephen whispered softly to Harry and Hermione setting a conjured plush dragon in Dani's arms.

"As will I and Regulus refining your look might make your students adapt to you easier when you Co-teach DADA with Bill this year." Albus suggested, as he set the plush unicorn that he had conjured for her to cuddle.

"Oh that settles it, he'll be professor ready by beginning of term we promise." Abel smirked.

"I'm going back to my poker game with Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George." Regulus vanished.

"Speaking of poker games we've got one of our own." Abel, Frankie, Gideon, and Desi all left the room.

--

"Brilliant thinking Uncle Albus, the two of them should easily be able to reign in the teens during their final year." Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, the two of them are gonna make excellent DADA professors. This way Fleur's content unlike last time when Bill was on a treasure hunt and barely made it back for Daria's birth." Harry was all for their teaching appointment.

"Remus wishes to focus on Gene and take time off teaching and suggested the two of them needed a break from treasure hunting for a while." Albus winked at them. "He feels that being one of Dani's teachers will be even more of a challenge than teaching DADA to his former students and is looking forward to the challenge."

"So far we've had plenty of applicants, but I think we've got enough members in this family that can more than help in excelling this ones education." Harry kissed the top of her head.

"Our new school curriculum is a breath of fresh air for everyone at Hogwarts. The students are more at ease and eager to learn and our professors are challenged with having students with an already acquired basic knowledge of magic. This year more than ever will show just how much of an improvement having the Nursery/ Primary Schools are for our newest crop of first years." Albus smiled warmly.

"You should have Bree, Donavan, Bastion, Moria, Alan, Ami, Sean, and Binky lend a hand as needed that should keep them all occupied and less focused on marauder or other tendencies." Hermione suggested.

"Severus is already one step ahead of you. Bastion and Moria will take turns shadowing Charlie. Alan and Ami will be aiding Severus. Sean and Binky excel in transfiguration, so they will share assisting my beloved. Binky will also continue her apprenticeship with the paper. Donavan and Bree will be continuing there apprenticeship with Marcus and Addison three times a week in the family wing and Donavan will aid Regulus and Bill if needed. Bree will continue to study Occlumency, as well as Legilimency with me." Albus explained.

Harry whistled low under his breath. "My gods and I thought that you put barriers up when we were seventh years. I mean you did make them all Prefects their fifth year and that seems to have helped matters when it comes to their antics."

"Well they are marauders and this way they all stay focused on the career paths that they've chosen to follow." Hermione was all for this strategy.

"Bree and Donavan are Head Boy and Head Girl this year and as for the other six this year they'll be assigned to mentor and watch over the younger ones." Stephen smirked.

"Look this is only gonna make them wanna rebel. I mean you have to at least give them all some down time or it's gonna go dicey on all of you." Harry scowled.

"They have Friday's and the weekends to themselves. Plus as added incentive they will be allowed Hogsmeade visits on Fridays and the weekends."

"In case either of you need reminding the boys are all Animagi as is Bree as of my birthday." Harry saw gaping holes in their strategy and thought that they needed pointing out before the teen's final year of school began. "Wolves loathe being caged and all of you are conjuring one hell of a cage. Sorry, but this plan is trouble waiting to happen."

"The boys we're aware of Sabrina however isn't on our undisclosed list of Animagus." Stephen narrowed his eyes down at his grandson.

"Sabrina is not a threat Gramps, besides that same day she was sentenced to magic probation for jinxing the tar out of Donavan and Bastion. Days before that she'd discovered firsthand the boy's animal nature and her temper snapped." Harry wasn't the least bit affected by his penance stare.

"Fascinating that explains why Severus has been grumbling about wolves mating for life and drew up this new plan of strategy. Sabrina's Animagi is a wolf." Albus was smiling unlike Stephen who was grumbling under his breath.

"All of them are mature responsible young adults of seventeen. You will have to trust them or what happens on your heads be it." Dani growled in her sleep.

"Listen to this little wonder not even five and so like her mum." Albus conjured some earmuffs and set them on Dani's head. "There now little one our conversation won't bother you anymore."

"Instead of challenging them with walls you need to set boundaries for them to abide by...Um, excuse me I forgot that I still had my mobile." Hermione was interrupted by the soft ring-tone of her mobile.

She took it out of her pocket to see who was calling and answered it when she saw that it was her mum. "Mum hello. Did you daddy and the teens make it home okay? Yes, yes, I know Bastion is over the moon for Moria, so she would be his first priority as soon as he got back. Yes Mum I trust Donavan completely with Bree, so the two of them going over to check on the Coopers building site is nothing for you or Daddy to fret about. No we're going to come home tomorrow as scheduled. Mum she's fine. Harry's holding her. She wants us instead of her bed tonight. She's highly sensitive to the emotions and thoughts around her and that's what brought on her relapse at the abbey today. No mum she's just not fully recovered from her backlash this July, this is nothing like Bree. We've been teaching her how to embrace and control her gifts since she was a baby…Yes mum we know that she's not going to be up to going to school with the others. She's going to be home schooled until she's old enough to be a first year at Hogwarts. She's outgrown primary school. Yes mum, that means you and Daddy's retirement is perfect timing. Lazy Meadows has a terminal case of termites. Mum of course you can stay with us as long as you need to; we've got plenty of room. They're talking a major remodel, well; Marcus and Addison are the best. We'll see you sometime in the morning…Love to Daddy bye."

"Looks like you're going to be able to spend more time at the ministry as well as at headquarters." Stephen's mood had lightened immensely.

"Look Gramps don't press your luck. You and Dad are gonna just have to live with me checking in twice a week. I've more than played my part this weekend and am going home tomorrow to focus on Hermione, the girls, and our boys. Dani's recovery is priority, as is devising a lesson plan that will keep her challenged during her first year of being schooled at home." Harry wasn't about to go back to work full-time until the boys were much older. He had done that for nearly four years, so he was ready to focus on just his family again.

"He's mine until I say otherwise and there will be no negotiating allowed." Hermione ended Stephens plotting of getting Harry away from them anytime soon. "He did his tour with the Aurors and helped bring the ministry into the new millennium. He can more than keep pace of what's going on from home and during his biweekly visits."

"Daddy is ours, fend for yourselves for a change, and leave him be." Dani grumbled.

"Well Stephen that settles that the little one has prior claim and is very much in need of her father's guidance as well as of her mothers. It is evident with her insistence of wanting to excel faster than her sisters and peers that she needs to be challenged." Albus was interrupted by someone entering the room.

"Who better to challenge the little lass than someone that has been around longer than all of you combined? I am more than up to the task and look forward to the challenge. All of you can lend a hand of course the more the merrier, but you can trust in me to make sure that she's well educated in all fields of knowledge as well as magic of course. Although, when ya think about it science is magic." Doctor waltzed into the room and he was carrying what appeared to be a silver brief case in his hand. "First things first though, let's see just what's going on in that little head of hers, and what better time than now when she's in a deep REM sleep." He set the case down on the coffee table and flipped open the latches.

"You're gonna use what's in that case to do what exactly." Harry and Hermione eyed the contents of the case skeptically.  

"Back home the younger set that are just learning to control their mental talents are given a type of learning tool that monitors how they use their abilities and prevents them from doing their fragile minds any undo harm. It's a little gadget that is quite useful in cases such as our little princess here." He took out a little silver disk the size of a Knut and placed it right above her left ear and it seamlessly melded to her skin until it seemed to vanish.

"Look Doc this had better not be dangerous or Rose is breaking in a new husband." Harry wasn't so sure he wanted some foreign alien object near, let alone in his child's head.

"Relax it's just camouflaging itself to blend into her skin. There is nothing crawling around in her brain. I deal with real science not science fiction nonsense." Doctor rolled his eyes at Harry. "Think of it as a means of preventing her from hurting herself or any of those around her. It's a tool that can help rein in powerful minds that are still in the stages of developing control over their gifts. I wear one all the time, because it keeps me grounded, and that part of whom I am in check. It's crucial that we do this or she can damage herself more than she already has." He took out the slim little palm size med-scanner and held it over Dani's head. The small device lit up and immediately started to scan her little form by shinning this beam over her body. "This is what's called a medical scanner and with it I can easily diagnose anything that's wrong with our little princess here."

"That's fascinating Doctor, so is our little princess doing better?" Albus was standing beside him looking utterly fascinated by the gadget in his hand.

"Our crystals might not be electronic wonders, but they do basically the same thing that your little gadget is doing. There is nothing wrong with my daughter other than her overexerting herself and that is what caused her to relapse." Hermione bristled at the very idea that he was questioning her treatment of her own child.

"Hermione, this is not meant to step on your toes, and yes your crystals and magic do basically the same thing. However, this way I can see exactly what kind of mind that I'm dealing with and whether it's off the charts or not. Now if the readings that I'm getting are accurate and I know that they are the answer to that is exactly what I thought. This little bundle of energy is most definitely in the off the charts category of minds and that is the reason for that brilliant little gadget. It will allow for her to heal as well as keep her grounded and in check. Magic is one thing and you have more than come up with a way of keeping it in line, but this is mental energy and that has nothing to do with magic at all. It's fascinating you see. Because the two of you are her parents and you're who you are she's going to be one special young lady. I get to be one of the ones that's privileged to be a part of what's going to shape her into who she's eventually gonna be. Now to ease all of your minds she hasn't done any damage. And that little gadget of mine will also be able to help her build walls up in her mind, so this doesn't happen again. She's gonna think that it's her conscience talking to her. And that's not very far from the truth. What she doesn't know won't hurt her now will it." He closed and locked the case, but put the little scanner in his pocket.

"No and to be honest we need all the help we can get." Harry was willing to give anything a try once, even if it meant alien nano technology.

"Anything that will help this little one get better has my approval." Stephen was also intrigued by the Doctors gadget.

"I agree with Stephen." Albus nodded.

"I just want her to be her self-again and for her to be able to excel at a safe pace." Hermione fixed him with a look. "Although, you're going to have to show me how that scanner of yours works, because I want to know everything about any device tool, or otherwise that's being used on my baby."

"I'll school you on it, as soon as all of us get back to Sanctuary I promise, but for now just rest easy knowing that she's gonna be fine." He smiled warmly at her. "She's perfectly healthy and although the thoughts and prayers of the people all around the world and those queued up outside are touching the candlelight vigil is really not necessary."

Dani instantly blinked open her eyes and scowled. "Home now and who cares about what everyone will think. I wanna to go where everyone is sane. This place is just one big headache…" She focused on Doctor and the silver case on the coffee table. "I'm fine. No nano doodads needed on or anywhere near my person, but thanks for thinking of me."

"I'll be the one to decide that little miss. Let's just say that any nano doodads are for your own good and will be used if I deem that they are needed. Do we have an understanding little one? Because, no offense to your mother, aunts, or Grams, I know more about how to treat you and outrank them in any field. You are just going on five not fifty and like it or not are a little kid. Where as I am well over a thousand years old and more than know what you need and how to treat you so you can never do any damage to your mind again. Now go back to sleep and I don't wanna here another word about it." He knelt down to her level, so they were eye to eye.

"Um, l I'm gonna go back to sleep now." Dani did the intelligent thing and decided to not challenge the God of time by going back to sleep.

"Now that we have that settled I'm gonna go check on my Rose. Oh and as for her statement she's right." Whistling a happy tune he picked up the case and strolled back out of the room.

"We'll see the two of you when you get back home." Stephen and Albus vanished from the room.

"I'm with our daughter we're going home where everyone is sane." Harry was more than ready to pack it up and go home.

"I'll go round up the girls. You go back to our apartments and get the twins ready to go, and then home it is." Hermione was all for the idea of home and the peace and quiet that it gave them.

"You might wanna tell the others our plans. Although, I'm fairly certain, since you were well on the verge of losing your temper, that Draco, Ron, Gin, and Luna have already rounded up their own kids and headed back home. I'd wager the same goes for Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, Aunt Jenn, Aunt Gene, Dad and Mum too." Harry grinned at Hermione.

Hermione grinned back at him. "Well enough was enough and all of you were upsetting Dani, besides my solution worked like a charm." She blew him a kiss then vanished.

--

Well this is the last chapter of this arch it's on to the next installment

**New Marauders Hogwarts**

**Year 1**

Chapter one

The Letter

--

I do not claim any of Jo's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

--

Cindra 2004-2008


End file.
